Rev. George W Glew.
Service Number-unknown.
Rank-Corporal later promoted to Sgt.
Squad-unknown Royal Military Police (TA) Victoria Road, Tunbridge Wells.
Attached to 44 Division.

George aged 18.

Hi, my Grandad, the Rev.George Glew, amongst his eleven medals and things that he left me in his Will, gave me a hand written account of his RMP duty at The Queen's Coronation in London in June 1953. The following is a brief preable leading up to that account.

George started his military career at 16 years old when he joined the Home Guard and was badged to the BUFFS in 1938.

At 16 1/2 he decided to join the army enlisting at Maidstone as he was too well known at Canterbury (his home town). He enlisted into the 70th Bttn , The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regt. in April 1941, as a Machine Gunner.

In November 1942, the Battalion was disbanded and he was compulsorily transferred to Royal Field Artillery as a Signaller with 48 Divisional HQ in Lincoln.

He was posted to 53rd (London) Medium Assault Regt. (TA) in April 1944, and boarded LST 365 on 2nd June 1944 on the 'Hards' at Gosport, landing on Sword Queen Beach around 11am on the 6th June 1944 as an 'Observation Post Radio Operator'.

George served right through the 'Normandy Campaign', up through Belgium and Holland, including the relief of Arnhem.

On the 6th Nov. 1944 he was wounded near Breda. As a result he was medically downgraded and after a clerical course was returned to 2nd Army HQ at Luneburg Heath, arriving there 2 days after the Armistice.
He was demobbed on 23rd Sep 1946.

On 1st May 1947, he tried to rejoin the TA, but his medical category was too low for the local Regiment. Instead he joined The Royal Aux. Air Force, 500 County of Kent Sqdn., West Malling, and trained as a Radio Mechanic.

After two years his medical category had improved and he transferred to 44 Division Provost Company Royal Military Police (TA). Victoria Road, Tunbridge Wells. Whilst serving with this company he was a Corporal, and was on duty at The Queens Coronation on 2nd June 1953.

This is his hand written account of that day:

"We had been issued with the best blue uniform and white gloves for the first time since the end of WW2 .

Reveille on 2nd June was at 0230 hrs and after a hasty breakfast we boarded our lorries to journey to the City. It was bitterly cold and the roads in parts of Surrey must have been frosty, for one lorry near the rear of the column slid off the road.

On arrival in London my section reported to Cannon Row Police Station, where we were issued with the blue and white striped Police Cuff bands which gave us the authority of the Special Constable for that day.

About 8am my colleague and I were taken to the Edgeware Road/Marylebone Road junction to keep traffic flowing on the Outer Coronation Ring Road and to direct pedestrians to the Coronational Processional Route. We took turns at these duties for the next 3 1/2 hours.

Later we moved along Edgeware Road to The Marble Arch, where we took up position to help in crowd control which also gave us a view of the procession returning to the palace.

I particularly remember seeing the South African Mounted Police whose blue uniforms were streaked with white where the rain had washed the whitening off their cross straps!

We had a long and tiring day, but a very happy one, and I arrived back home in Tonbridge in time to see the whole event on my neighbours TV.

Later I was privileged to receive the Coronation Medal. There was only 1 sent to each unit and as I was the longest serving member of my unit, the Comanding Officer presented it to me.

After this, I completed special training and became an Instructor in Nuclear Warfare in the unit after promotion to Sergeant.

I then left the TA and joined The Theological College and was commisioned in The Royal Army Chaplains Dept. and granted the rank of Captain attached to the Army Cadet Force. After twelve years I was promoted to Major and finished my service in 1989 as Senior Chaplain , Sussex County Army Cadet Force, and also as Chaplain to the Sea Cadet Corps and the Air Training Corps.

The Chaplain General of the army granted me the title of Honorary Chaplain to the Forces and the rank of Major (retired)".

NOTE: George was also chaplain to the following:
Royal Naval Assn;Royal Marine Assn;Fleet Air Arm Assn;Sea Cadet Corps;The Buffs Regtl Assn;The Q.O.R.W Kent Assn;The Royal Artillery Assn; The Kent Yeomanry Regtl Assn;The Normandy Veterans Assn;The Market Garden (Arnhem) Assn;The Burma Star Assn;The Italy Star Assn; The WRAC:
George wore the uniform of all 3 Armed Services.

I hope this is ok for you. As I'm sure you can tell I am very proud of my grandad and still keep my promise to him that every year on Rememberance Day I parade with the veteran's wearing his astonishing eleven medals!

I have enclosed a photo of me wearing his medals at last years (2008) parade.

Regards
Sarah White.
28th April 2009.