A full description
of the history of Windsor's saluting cannons is to be
found in Windlesora 13. Click here for
details Saluting The Queen's BirthdayThe following
video was filmed on |
The Royal Borough is unique in this
country in as much as a civilian organisation
regularly fires cannons! Since 1754 there have been
records of salutes in the Royal Borough of Windsor to
mark significant events. The cannon used by the
Borough nowadays could have been part of the miniature
man-of-war that used to sail on Virginia Water in the
early 19th century, 'The Victorine'. See Windsor Great
Park - Virginia Water For many years the cannon were fired with a Bengal match held in a bulldog clip secured to the end of a broom handle until some years ago, during the ceremony for Prince Charles' Freedom of The Borough, the clip bent and so the Bombardier, Ted Lobley, in order to keep the salute progressing briskly, decided to use hand-held matches. The Duke of Edinburgh, watching from the dais, remarked to Ian Keeler, deputy Mayor, "That looks bloody dangerous!"
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