We made Hong Kong coronation a blast!

CeLeBratIOns of our dear Queen’s coronation anniversary brought back memories of my experience of the event in June 1953. the sun was high in the sky and the sea was a clear blue — a beautiful day for the coronation of a lovely princess, I thought. along with a detachment of sappers, I was on my way to the hills above Kai tak airport to give the residents of Kowloon and Hong Kong a small military show. the royal air Force was warming up at Fan Ling for its fly-past. the royal artillery were moving their guns on to the airport grounds and stacking their dummy shells. Our job was to erect some tin shacks on the hills above the airport, then lay explosive charges around them, with a further charge inside the huts. Mid-afternoon, the gunners loaded their artillery with the dummy shells. they zeroed in on the huts, and the moment we heard the boom of the guns, we set off our explosives. as the remnants of the tin shacks hurtled skywards, a great cheer went up from the crowds lining the airport. It was a great day out for the residents of Hong Kong. Brian L. Roberts, Solihull, W. Mids.