Mum’s flying in……… and Horse Guards

Yet more walking around London practicing photography under instruction from the youngest.  We arrived at Leicester Square where I received quite a fright on seeing mother-in-law flying in.  Have I previously mentioned she has her own aircraft?

In the background Yoda was levitating whilst directing “The Force” at a number of youngsters.

I recall looking at a photo of Leicester Square taken on VE Day (Victory in Europe Day).  It was a black and white showing the square totally packed with people celebrating.

My father pointed to one of the lions and told me the rather blurred face in the crowd was him.  Twenty years old and in the RNZAF.  He had only been in England six months after graduating from the Imperial Flying School in Canada as a fighter pilot.

Just trying for that “composition” shot!

The President of Mexico has been in London.  As part of his official visit Mexico had a tourism exhibition on the Embankment.

Oh yes… Horse Guards Parade.  An interesting family story about Horse Guards.  My family was in the UK from 1957-60 when my father was attached to the NZ High Commission.  He was required to attend ANZAC Day parade.  This involved marching in the parade to the Cenotaph at Whitehall.  Afterwards mum, my brother and I accompanied him back to the High Commission.  However he had forgotten we would pass the Horse Guards.  He didn’t see them, but they certainly saw him and came to attention before saluting.  Poor old dad was almost blindsided whilst I was most impressed!

So I took a few photos to remind my mother.

I was very disappointed with both the discipline of the soldiers and the quality of the uniform material.  The latter looked like it had been purchased from some cheap Chinese weaver.  The soldiers were acting more like tourist “gawking” at the crowd.  Actually they looked like they were young enough to be schoolboys  This isn’t how I remember it in 1958.