Ilkeston - Beating Retreat
w/e 10 July 2022
All of this week's pictures were taken with a Nikon D3300
It's four years since the Beating
Retreat and Sunset Ceremony last took place in Ilkeston but it
was held again on Tuesday 5th July 2022 in the Market Place.
Before the ceremony began the Derbyshire Army Cadet Band entertained
the assembling onlookers by playing a selection of music from
in front of the War Memorial.
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There were a number of stalls
and displays in front of the Town Hall. These included SSAFA
Derbyshire (top left), the Erewash Branch of the Royal Air Forces
Association (top right), the 162 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
(bottom left) and the Army's Search Engineers (bottom right).
Stalls manned by representatives of the Royal British Legion
(above left), the 348 (Ilkeston) Squadron of the Air Cadets (above
right) and the Army Cadets along with three military vehicles
(above centre) were nearby.
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The main event of the evening began when the Civic Party was
piped in from the Town Hall to its position overlooking the arena
on the Market Place between a guard of honour of Army, Navy and
Air Force Cadets.
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Among the dignitaries joining the Mayor of Erewash for the event
were the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Mrs Elizabeth Fothergill,
and the High Sheriff for Derbyshire, Mr Michael Copesake.
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After the opening speeches the Nottinghamshire Band of the Royal
Engineers made its way from the TA Centre on Albert Street and
assembled on Wharncliffe Road ready to march into the arena.
Watched by members of the armed forces and more civic dignitaries,
the band began its display.
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They paraded up and down the Market Place playing a rousing selection
of music.
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They performed some intricate manoeuvres weaving in and out,
all the time playing their instruments.
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They also paused more than once to play directly in front of
the Civic Party and on one occasion even broke into song which
elicited a rousing reception from the onlookers. Their marching
display as the sun dipped lower in the sky was thoroughly enjoyed
by all present.
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The Band eventually marched back out of the Market Place and
into Wharncliffe Road again to be dismissed.
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With the arena lined by cadets the event came to a close with
the Last Post played by a solitary bugler in front of the War
Memorial.
As people began to disperse and the stalls were dismantled the
three military vehicles made their way from the Market Place
and back to their base.
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