Whanganui woman joins contingent for Queen’s funeral
The last time Leading Aircraftman Laurelie Giles was in London, she was celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. This month, she returned to honour Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s passing by marching in the funeral procession in London.
LAC Giles, 22, was one of 24 New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) sailors, soldiers and aviators alongside Australian and Canadian personnel in the Commonwealth contingent, which was in the procession marching from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch on Monday morning.
The contingent travelled from Pirbright Army Camp in Surrey early in the morning to Wellington Barracks, near St James’ Park, for the procession.
“When we started marching, you could hear the choir from Westminster Abbey. We were not sure what to expect and it’s at the moment you think: I’m really doing this. For the Queen.
“Once we got on the Mall, there was a sea of flags lining the street, the Golden Angel at the end (the Queen Victoria memorial) . . . we were tired, but when we got on the Mall you got a second burst of energy. You could feel this empathy coming from the crowd. They knew why we were there, to support the Queen, and what she has done in her lifetime.”
The NZDF contingent arrived in the United Kingdom the previous Monday and spent the week rehearsing at Pirbright. Early on Thursday morning (UK time) they were part of a full dress rehearsal with UK Armed Forces on the Mall in London.
Leading Aircraftman Giles, from
Whanganui, joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 2019 after finishing at Longburn Adventist College in Palmerston North. She is a fuel technician at RNZAF Base Ohakea.
She had put her name forward to be part of the contingent for Operation Platinum, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. When she returned to New Zealand she was told she had stood out and her name was suggested for Operation London Bridge.