'There were people everywhere’: Numurkah man reminisces about Queen’s coronation

Jun 1, 2022

Looking back: Maurice Bannister shows off a photo of himself during his time in the Royal Australian Navy, which included a voyage to England for the Queen’s coronation. Photo by Megan Fisher

Numurkah’s Maurice Bannister had a special role to play in the lead-up to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, who celebrated her Platinum Jubilee on June 2.

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Then a 20-year-old steward in the Royal Australian Navy, Mr Bannister was part of the HMAS Sydney crew that took Australian and New Zealand defence force personnel to England to march as part of the festivities for the Queen’s coronation.

On the day of the coronation itself – June 2, 1953 – while those they transported to England marched in the parade, Mr Bannister was in London.

All these years later he still remembers the atmosphere in the city on the day the new queen was crowned.

Service: Maurice Bannister with a photo of himself in the Royal Australian Navy. Photo by Megan Fisher

He had caught the train to London from where the ship was docked.

“We went up (to London) early in the morning,” he said.

“You just couldn’t move. There were people everywhere.

“It was so busy.”

While he didn’t see the coronation or make it to the crowd outside Westminster Abbey, Mr Bannister said the atmosphere in the city was festive.

Special day: Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, following the Queen’s coronation at Westminster Abbey. Photo: AP/Leslie Priest Photo by Leslie Priest

“It’s just pageant you don’t see,” he said.

“Everybody was there for one purpose and that was to see her crowned.

“Everyone was so happy to see her crowned.”

Thirteen days later, Mr Bannister was among the sailors standing to attention on the deck of the HMAS Sydney as the Queen undertook a coronation review of 400 ships that had sailed to England from across the world for the coronation.

The review consisted of those on board the ships standing to attention as the Queen sailed between the ships inspecting them.

Mr Bannister still has a certificate to mark his part in the occasion.

He counts himself lucky to have been able to take part in the journey to England for the coronation after only being drafted to serve on the HMAS Sydney not long before it left Australia.

Certificate: The certificate Maurice Bannister received for being onboard the HMAS Sydney during the Coronation Review of about 400 ships 13 days after the Queen’s coronation. Photo by Megan Fisher

He still remembers the sound of the army, air force and navy men as they practised their marching on the aircraft carrier’s deck as it sailed towards England.

“They trained daily all the way over,” he said.

“It was a steel flight deck. You can imagine (the sound) you get of 30 or 40 blokes marching up and down in heavy marching boots.

“It’s something you don’t expect on an aircraft carrier”.

Onboard, Mr Bannister’s role was as a steward assigned to the officer’s bar.

Among those he looked after were four men who had won the George Cross or the George Medal – which is only a step down from winning a Victoria Cross in battle.

On board: Maurice Bannister was onboard the HMAS Sydney which transported the Australian and New Zealand defence force contingent to the Queen’s coronation in England. Photo by Megan Fisher

The HMAS Sydney sailed around the world in its journey to and from the coronation, with Mr Bannister saying the experience was “absolutely marvellous”.

He still has items he bought from different countries they visited during the trip.

He served in the navy for six years, including a stint on patrol in Korea during the Korean war the year after the Queen’s coronation.