Queen visits Howe Barracks in Canterbury ahead of closure
- Published
The Queen has toured Howe Barracks in Canterbury ahead of its closure due to spending cuts. Some 600 people are set to move out when The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland (5 Scots) moves to Edinburgh in 2014.
The battalion, which has carried out three tours of duty in Afghanistan during its time at the barracks, has been based in Canterbury for 10 years.
The Queen raised a smile as she was shown a mock-up of a field camp, complete with a dram of whisky and candelabra.
The Queen could not hide her amusement as Lt Alan Garrett stood to attention in his union jack "onesie".
When the barracks is closed, the majority of the soldiers will move to other battalions within the regiment. A number will remain in Canterbury until May or June next year to close down the barracks.
The Queen's visit came days after hundreds of soldiers marched through Canterbury for the last time, ending with a service in Canterbury Cathedral, and in the same week as Chancellor George Osborne's Spending Review, in which he said Britain had "the finest armed forces in the world".
Maj Alan Carmichael, Quartermaster of 5 Scots, said: "Today was an extremely proud day."
He continued: "We had a fantastic parade and Her Majesty was moved by our soldiers she met, and enjoyed a luncheon with officers and sergeants."
- Published25 June 2013