Former National Serviceman Fred Greenaway still remembers vividly the day he marched ahead of the new Queen on her coronation 60 years ago.

Mr Greenaway, 79, was chosen to be part of the parade through the streets of London on June 2, 1953.

He was about halfway through his two years of service when he joined the Coronation Day squad of his unit, the 16th/5th Lancers.

He said: “The king died on my birthday and my uncle said ‘when you go in the army you’ll be serving Queen and country, not King and country’. It seemed funny then, as it had always been God save our King.

“It was raining in the morning but the atmosphere was brilliant.

“On the day of the coronation we left Earls Court at 10am and at midday we had a 20-minute break. We had two sandwiches with corned beef in, two with cheese, nothing to drink and we got back at about 10 to six, but I never felt hungry.”

On the big day, his unit had to carry pistols which he had never even fired in practice.

He said: “Training with the 16th/5th, I had a rifle in my hand most of the time and then marching in London we just had pistols and that made a difference.

“The street lining party, they had rifles. They had a 12-hour day and started off in the morning.

“We were told to watch out for bargain hunters who were after badges and buttons, anything they could get hold of.”

Mr Greenaway, who lives in West Kennet with his wife Beryl, was ahead of the new sovereign during the procession and did not catch a glimpse of her in her coronation coach.

He said: “People say ‘you must have had a good view on the coronation’. If you were in the street party, you would, but all I saw was the back of someone’s head.

“You feel more proud as the years go on. When you’re in the army you just have to do it and you’re out there being shouted at.”