SKETCHING BEATING RETREAT AT HORSE GUARDS PARADE - LONDON

I JOINED THE CROWD TO ENJOY BEATING RETREAT - ON THE EVENING OF 10 JUNE 2015

Concert Band of the German Armed Forces - sketch

Beating Retreat - sketches of the evening

Beating Retreat -apparently one of the earliest reference to it was in 1554 in 'Rules and Ordyances for the Warre'.  So its a British Tradition and spectacular from start to finish, with fireworks as well.

My first sketch shows the Concert Band of the German Armed Forces (Musikkorps der Bundeswehr) marching on to the Parade Ground on the lovely sunny evening.

My second sketch is a group of small, quick impressions of the troops and horses, with fireworks as a background  

BATTLE OF WATERLOO

The battle of Waterloo is commemorated this year, it took place in June, 1815. The British and Allied army was under the famous General Wellington, and the tide of the battle turned when the Prussian reinforcements arrived, under General Blucher.  Thus the involvement of the German Concert Band.  

This year's Beating Retreat took place in the presence of His Excellency Dr Peter Ammon, The German Ambassador to the Court of St James's. 

At the end of the proceedings the national anthems of Germany and Great Britain were played.  I have never stood before to "Deutschlandied" also known as "Deutschland uber alles"! 

RE-ENACTMENT OF BATTLE

Finally we watched a re-enactment of events which occurred during the battle of Waterloo.  
The British troops in the re-enactment were wearing the cloth caps they would have worn at the time, they did not wear the bearskin which we know and love today.

Cannons were fired, again and again - how loud! We all jumped in our seats.  Smoke billowed across the scene.  The fireworks were spectacular, as they usually are.  Everybody followed the track of the stars shooting up into the summer sky and for once the sounds of the London traffic was drowned.