County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) Station Manager, Craig Jewkes, was honoured to be part of the procession at Her Majesty’s funeral last Monday (19 September).
Craig was one of just 16 firefighters from across the UK selected to take part in the state funeral last week. A station manager in the Emergency Response and Resilience Planning section within CDDFRS, he was informed of his role by the Home Office within 24 hours of the death of Her Majesty.
He subsequently travelled down to London on Wednesday the 14th, where he took part in rehearsals before the historic occasion.
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He said: “In 2019 every Fire and Rescue Service was asked to send a uniformed member of staff to the Home Office in London to be assessed as a possible Civilian Services Contingent member. Approximately 60 members of almost every Fire Rescue Service in the UK arrived clutching their best uniform, including medals and highly polished footwear.
"Over the day we had our uniforms, which were required to be of the ‘undress’ type, assessed for fit and finish. We had our foot drill tested by a Royal Navy Chief Petty Office Guard instructor over several hours.
"Every candidate had a score made up from their uniform and drill and this enabled the assessors to select the 16 highest scorers. I was immensely proud to have been selected although a little saddened because we all knew the purpose of the team.
"As events unfolded on that fateful Thursday, we all received an email from the Fire team within the Home Office asking us to confirm our contact details. Late on the Friday afternoon we were formally offered a place as a Fire service representative at Her Majesty's state funeral.
"I was honoured and humbled to be selected for such a momentous occasion.”
Craig marched for around 30 miles during the 4 days of practice and the procession, along with his 15 comrades from the Scottish Fire Service down to the Jersey Fire Service. They represented all roles from Firefighter to Chief Fire Officer.
Speaking of the experience, Craig said: “I was immensely proud to be representing CDDFRS within the Civilian Services Contingent and we paraded to the highest standard for Her Majesty.
"The occasion was tiring on both a physical and emotional scale, but the presence of the massed crowds of the public lining the London streets provided invaluable support.
"The memories I have of being part of Her Majesty's state funeral will live with me forever.”
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