October 2018 Speaker
Keith Baldwin gave us a very humorous and informative talk called. ‘The entire Queen’s horses and all the Queen’s Men and Women’.
Keith initially took us back to when he left school and spent a few months working in a factory. He then decided to join the army as his father had been in the RAF and he enrolled in the Regiment Corps which trained him in a trade, which he found useful in later life. After serving in Germany and then the Far East in Singapore and Borneo he returned to England and was offered the chance to join The Brigade of Guards in London. He then began his training at Knightsbridge, initially learning how to train the horses, (who were 2-3 years old) and then the soldiers themselves had to be trained in the ceremonial duties they would be undertaking in London and also learn the procedures for each individual Royal parade.
For the Trooping of the Colour in June there would be at least two rehearsals and in the procession the Cavalry band would have to guide the horses with their knees and feet while they were playing their instruments. They would also be on parade for State visits to the UK, Beating retreat on Horseguards Parade and The State Opening of Parliament. So the soldiers of the Life guards and The Blues and Royals are the people who protect our royal family and have done so since Charles II set up the Lifeguards in 1660.
Keith then decided to join the police force and spent 30 years with the Hertfordshire police force before his retirement.