The Youngest Gunner on Parade: Preparing to honour The Queen
Air Specialist Westworth, on his role in the procession
Armed Forces personnel are preparing to take part in the processions and tributes to Her Majesty The Queen during her Funeral on Monday 19 September. Westworth is the youngest Gunner on parade, having joined the RAF in December 2020.
He has already paraded in front of The Queen at the Royal Windsor Horse show as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, and the then Prince of Wales on HMS Queen Elizabeth during service for the 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War.
Westworth is part of 63 Squadron, The Queen’s Colour Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment. This is the RAF’s dedicated ceremonial unit, responsible for representing the RAF at both state and national ceremonial occasions, and providing Guards of Honour for the Royal Family, heads of state, dignitaries and other VIPs.
We interviewed AS Westworth after he participated in an early morning rehearsal at Wellington Barracks on Tuesday 13 September:
Can you tell us about your role?
I’m an AS1, An Air specialist 1. My primary role as an RAF Regiment gunner is to protect the airfields, and my secondary duty is the ceremonial occasions. I’m going to be deployed on Operation in Iraq in December. It’s obviously a completely different environment doing this for Her Majesty and the state funeral and then going on deployment — that’s just the way this role works. It’s my first deployment, and I’m very excited and a bit nervous!
This isn’t the first time I’ve done something like this — I’ve undertaken many ceremonial tasks. One which was very important was when Her Majesty The Queen came to the Platinum Jubilee — that was one of the most high profile jobs I’ve done to be honest with you.
So, did you sign up straight out of school?
Yes. I was actually the year when COVID broke out, so I didn’t take my GCSEs. I came straight to RAF Halton to go through basic training, and then went straight to RAF Hannington to do my phase 2, and here I am.
What does taking part in this mean to you?
Oh, it’s an absolute honour. I’m very proud to be taking part in such a historic event, to be front and centre of it, it’s amazing. This is where I want it to be, but I did not think I’d be taking part in a very, very high profile, amazing event, so I’m very proud.
My family are very proud. Watching everything on the telly, all the time. They’re very supportive and very, very proud. They’ll definitely be looking out for me!
Did you ever meet the Queen?
I haven’t actually met the Queen. But I’ve been on parade when she’s been there.
For me, personally, it’s just a great honour to be there. I’m very proud of our royal family and think it’s such an important role they play. They mean so much to everyone in the Armed Forces, and I speak for the rest of the squadron. We have very close relations with the Royal Family, because we do a lot of guarding the palaces and such. So, I can’t describe to you how proud I am.
