Conisbrough Soldiers Parade Before Royalty

July 1967

South Yorkshire Times, July 6, 1957

Conisbrough Soldiers Parade Before Royalty

Two proud and keen Conisbrough soldiers have taken part in regimental parades where royalty have inspected the soldiers.

They are Trevor Panther (20), an officer cadet at Sandhurst, who took part in the ceremony when the Queen presented new colours to Sandhurst and John Kingston (19), a regular soldier stationed at Borden in Hampshire who was in a guard of honour for the Duke of Gloucester when he visited Aborfield R.E.M.E the depot.

Trevor Panther is the youngest son of Mr and Mrs F. Panther, of 39 The Crescent, Conisbrough. He has been an officer cadet at Sandhurst since last September and took part in the parade when the Queen’s Colours and new Regimental colours were presented to the military college on June 27, Trevor invited his parents to the ceremony and secured a front row seat near the saluting base but unfortunately they could not attend. He wrote to his mother this week telling her of the parade. He said that after the parade he accidentally met the Queen in the grounds and saluted her and in return received “such a bewitching smile from her”.

Trevor was formally at the Welbeck military Academy and hopes to become an officer next year.

John Kingston is the only son of Mr and Mrs J. Kingston of the drill Hall, Conisbrough. He has been in the army since last September and has signed for nine years, and says he intends staying in the army.

He was chosen to take part in the guard of honour for the Duke of Gloucester when he visited there R. E. M. E. The part at Aborfield on the day the Queen visited Sandhurst.

John’s father is a Battery Sergeant Major in the territorial Army.

His mother told a reporter this week that John had written home saying that this was the first visit of royalty to the R. E. M. E. Since it was formed and he was very proud to take part.