HRH The Princess Royal will be guest of honour and inspecting officer at a grand parade of 460 troops at Brunswick Barracks in Pirbright celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the British Army’s largest Corps – The Royal Logistic Corps.
On the 5th April 1993, the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) was born out of the amalgamations of the: Royal Corps of Transport, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Royal Pioneer Corps, Army Catering Corps and the Army’s Postal and Courier Service.
It remains the largest body of troops within the British Army with, undoubtedly the greatest diversity of trades and skills enabling it to live up to and deliver its motto, “We Sustain”. It is the duty of the Royal Logistic Corps to supply and maintain the British Army whenever and wherever it is called upon to serve.
As the RLC’s Colonel-in Chief, HRH The Princess Royal will arrive onto the parade square in front of the 460 troops standing to attention driven in Field Marshall The Earl Montgomery’s Rolls Royce. The priceless car sits in pride of place at the Corps’ museum; it too has perhaps as remarkable a history as its former illustrious owner. It drove ashore onto the beaches of Normandy a mere two days after D-Day to accompany ‘Monty’ during the invasion campaign.
HRH The Princess Royal, will inspect the first rank of troops before issuing stable belts to 36 of the soldiers on parade. It will symbolically mark the return of the Corps, again as part of the 25th Anniversary commemorations, to wearing the uniquely coloured belt that identifies the wearer as a member of the RLC.
Following the parade HRH will then move to a marquee where she will be introduced to members of the corps and their families and learn a little of the recent events and activities regarding the Corps’ Silver Jubilee. Before retiring to the Officers’ Mess HRH will pose for a massed photograph on the parade square.