The Queen’s Jubilee: Ex-army veteran from London pays tribute to Her Majesty
Retired soldier Shaun Johnson shares his memories of meeting Queen Elizabeth II
As millions across the nation come together to celebrate The Queen’s jubilee, an ex-army veteran from London is paying tribute to her 70 years in reign.
Shaun Johnson had the honour of meeting The Queen several times during his time in military service.
He first met Her Majesty in 1967 as a young boy when she visited the army barracks in Malta.
Shaun grew up with his dad’s regiment, The Queens Lancashire Regiment.
“I was all excited, we were in the army barracks, my dad’s barracks at the time”, Shaun tells us.
“I was only a kid; I still remember clutching the little flag as one of the flag wavers.
“What was so special about that first encounter was that you always thought she was looking at you, I remember thinking she just looked at me right in the face she must know who I am.
“She was standing at the back of a vehicle with Prince Philip as we waved our flags and she looked.”
The Queen visits Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1984
Shaun joined the Royal Artillery in October 1983, in April 1984 he left basic training and got posted to Lipstadt, West Germany, to join his parent unit, 27 Field Regiment Royal Artillery.
On the 23rd May 1984 he met The Queen in Dortmund when she went to visit the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
“We all rehearsed for weeks before she visited, all the artillery equipment, gunnery and drill were put into absolute precision”, he says.
“All the artillery guns were all on the sports field in lines facing each other. The barrels were elevated to form an arch and she drove through it.
“On the day she visited it absolutely smashed it down with rain, that equipment weighs tonnes and they’re mechanised on tracks.
“You can imagine what the pitches looked like once everyone got the kit off, sludge and filth everywhere!”
Serving The Queen on the top table
While there as a young soldier, Shaun was placed as the waiter for The Queen’s table.
“I got lemoned, that’s what we used to call it when you got forced to do something, young lads got those sorts of duties until you found your place in the ranks and you were a senior soldier”, he says.
“I’ve done two tours of duty and they were challenging, but I was never more terrified than serving on that top table.
“Trying to keep a wine bottle still when you’re pouring it with ten minutes rehearsal of how to pour wine in a very particular and rehearsed way… of course, I was shaking with it!”
'I was tapping the glass with fear'
Shaun poured the drinks as The Queen sat two seats away, “It must have sounded like a pneumatic drill, as I was shaking the bottle was tapping on the glass”, he says.
“They’re all looking at me and I couldn’t keep my hand still it’s going ding ding ding as if I was trying to say, ‘right ladies and gentlemen here’s The Queen’.
“But no, it was just me tapping the glass with fear. She didn’t look but she probably would’ve heard that because everybody else did!”
From 1985 he served two active tours of duty in Northern Ireland and was awarded the GSM Campaign Service Medal for his time there.
The Queen’s ceremonial parades
After leaving a combat regiment in 1987, Shaun joined the Mounted Regiment of the Kings Troop RHA to carry out Ceremonial Duties in London.
“When you do ceremonials you’re really close to the royalty, you see them all the time”, he says.
“You do The Queen’s birthday parades, rehearsals, they’re in and out your barracks. It becomes second nature because you’re in the household division.”
Shaun tells us she would send a personal message to the soldiers whenever The Queen’s birthday parades went ahead.
“She was always very personal; she’d send a message via the commanding officer to all the guys to say she was extremely proud and grateful for all the effort put into it.”
He says the military are very close to her and there is a strong bond between them.
“You always find that trust element, whenever The Queen’s with you in the military sector. You’re that close, security is high of course, but you know she feels safe amongst soldiers.
“She is your boss, the governor. Whenever you rode past Buckingham palace and you do an eyes right or left, you’re acknowledging the boss The Queen.”
The Poppy Factory in Richmond
In October 1994 Shaun left the military with a crush injury.
In 2009 he joined The Poppy Factory in Richmond, the factory responsible for annually creating the royal wreaths for Remembrance Sunday and supports veterans with health conditions on their journey into employment.
This year it celebrates its 100th year, in conjunction with The Queen’s jubilee.
It was founded in 1922 to offer employment opportunities to wounded soldiers returning from the First World War, creating remembrance poppies and wreaths for the Royal Family and The Royal British Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal.
Shaun saw The Queen again when she visited the factory in 2012, “I spoke to her; it was like seeing an old friend again”, he says.
“That experience just affirmed that she does her groundwork, she knows all about The Poppy Factory as the home of supporting veterans and making the royals wreaths.
“It’s what makes Britain Britain”
“What I’ve learnt about The Queen over the years is that she’s so knowledgeable, she’s really briefed up and goes out of her way.
“She’ll always go and do her groundwork when going somewhere and finds out as much as she can about it, she’s keen and genuinely enthused, when she inspects she knows her stuff.
“An amazing person, it’s what makes Britain Britain isn’t it, everybody knows about The Queen.
“She’s just wonderful, a wonderful person and human being.”
The Queen's visits to The Poppy Factory
The Queen's first visit: 1946
The Queen's first visit to The Poppy Factory in 1946, as Princess Elizabeth.
The Queen's visit: 1962
The Queen's visit to The Poppy Factory in 1962.
The Queen's visit: 1992
The Queen visits wreath makers for Remembrance Sunday at The Poppy Factory in 1992.
The Queen's visit: 1992
The Queen visits The Poppy Factory in 1992.
The Queen's visit: 2012
The Queen meets ex-army veteran Shaun Johnson at The Poppy Factory, 2012
The Queen's visit: 2012
The Queen's most recent visit to The Poppy Factory in 2012, visiting those who make the wreaths for Remembrance Sunday.