King's Birthday Parade

The King's Birthday Parade is an Ibaglian military parade held to mark the birthday of the King of Ibagli. It is held every June at Queen's Square in Haphonia.

Ceremony

Four "guards", each comprised of 3 officers and 70 officer, form up in the square. There is usually at least one guard present from each service. This has been so since the 1950's, when the traditionally army-only event was opened to all services. The drill remains as if all units participating were Army regiments, however. The guards are referred to by number, with No. 1 guard being referred to as the "escort for the colour." This guard takes precedence at the right of the line regardless of its precedence within the Ibaglian Armed Forces. The King's Colour chosen to be trooped is located on the East side of the square, near the Cenotaph, held by a Staff Sergeant, Flight Sergeant, or Chief Petty Officer from the unit making up the escort.

Before the arrival of the Governor-General, certain high-ranking officers will be welcomed with a general salute. These usually include the Chief of the Defence Staff, the three service chiefs, and the Colonel, Honorary Air Commodore, or Honorary Commodore of the unit providing the escort.

At 11:00am, the Governor-General arrives, escorted by a mounted detachment of the Governor-General's Dragoon Guards, and receives a Royal Salute. A 21-gun salute is simultaneously fired from a saluting battery across the river at Government House. The Governor-General is then driven down the line in an open-top vehicle for the inspection.

After the Governor-General returns to the saluting base, the massed bands (the combined bands of the units on parade) troop across the parade ground in slow and quick time. During the troop in quick time, a lone drummer breaks out of the massed band formation and moves to the right of the escort.

After the massed bands have returned to their places on the parade ground, the drummer plays eight bars of a drum call, signaling the Captain of the escort to cede command of the escort to the subaltern. Led by the subaltern, the escort quick marches to the colour party to the tune "The British Grenadiers." Upon arriving at the opposite end of the parade ground, the Warrant Officer leads the ensign who is to carry the colour to the colour party, collects the colour, and presents it to the ensign. Upon the ensign's receipt of the colour, the escort becomes the "escort to the colour."

The escort presents arms in a salute to the colour. The four Non-Commissioned Officers at the ends of the escort turn outwards and port arms, as a symbolic protection for the colour. The colour party, ensign, and Warrant Officer then take up their places in the escort.

The officer commanding the parade orders the parade (minus the escort) to present arms, and the escort slow marches through the ranks, with the colour being borne in front of the ranks and the escort being interwoven with the other guards.

After the return of the escort to their original position in the line, command of the escort is returned to the Captain. All four guards then move into review position in preparation for the march past.

The guards begin the slow march around the parade ground to a neutral slow march. As No. 1 guard approaches the saluting base, the massed bands play the slow march of the unit making up the escort. The guards shift to "eyes right" as they approach the saluting base, and officers salute with their swords. The ensign lowers the colour in salute to the Governor-General. As each guard passes the saluting base, the massed bands play the slow march of each unit composing the guards in succession.

After No. 4 guard passes the saluting base, the massed bands play another slow march, before the officer commanding the parade gives the command to change into quick time. The guards again march past, with their respective quick marches being played as they pass the saluting base. This time, however, officers do not salute with swords and the colour is not lowered. After the quick march is completed, the guards return to their places in the line.

The mounted troops, led by the guns of the Royal Regiment of Ibaglian Artillery, which include the guns that fired the 21-gun salute to the Governor-General, now move onto the parade ground. The massed bands play the slow marches of each unit as they pass the saluting base. The mounted troops usually also include the Governor-General's escort of the Governor-General's Dragoon Guards. After the slow march, the guns are driven past and the Governor-General's Dragoon Guards trot past to the Keel Row, a song common to both regiments.

At this point in the parade, the Governor-General moves off of the saluting base, and the guards give a Royal Salute, and "God Save the King" is played, symbolising the arrival of the King. At this point, the King's Personal Ibaglian Flag is broken on the flagpole at the saluting base. The guards then advance in review order, and give another royal salute. They then remove their headdresses and give three cheers for the King. After this, a final royal salute is given, before the Governor-General retakes his place on the saluting base, and is given a final royal salute before his departure.