Posts by Chris Bowditch
King Charles III’s Coronation: everything we know so far…
Buckingham Palace has announced that the coronation of King Charles III will take place on Saturday 6th May, 2023 at Westminster Abbey.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will preside over the anointing in a service that Buckingham Palace have said will be a mix of ancient and modern traditions to “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future”.
Image: Dan Marsh/CC-BY-SA-2.0
King Charles will be 74 at the time of his coronation – making him the eldest new monarch to be crowned.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, will also be crowned as part of the service in a shorter ceremony. She will become the thirtieth consort to be crowned since the Norman Conquest.
What will happen at the Coronation of King Charles III?
This will mark the first coronation in the United Kingdom for nearly 70 years. A young Prince Charles attended the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on 2nd June 1953 and it is believed that the new monarch has made adaptations to the ceremony for his own coronation.
Image: Photos from Library and Archives Canada via Wikimedia Commons
Lots of the pageantry and ritual is expected to be retained. Monarchs traditionally sit on a 14th century coronation chair and are officially crowned with St Edward’s solid gold crown.
There is likely to be a procession through London, featuring a Gold State Coach.
And it is expected that the celebration will come to an end with a Buckingham Palace balcony appearance.
How will the world celebrate King Charles’ Coronation?
The coronation will be televised and a potential worldwide television audience of hundreds of millions has been predicted.
It has been confirmed that there will be an extra UK bank holiday to mark the coronation. This is scheduled for Monday 8th May 2023, two days after the service.
If you’re interested…
The King Charles III Coronation Commemorative
Today you can own the BRAND NEW King Charles III Coronation Commemorative for FREE (you’ll only pay postage!) with this introductory offer.
Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork, this BRAND NEW King Charles III Commemorative is the perfect way to chronicle His Majesty’s first year as King.
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Click here for your FREE King Charles III Commemorative >>
Introductory Offer
The King Charles III Coronation Commemorative is an Introductory Offer for the Long To Reign Over Us Collection. Each month, you’ll receive four commemoratives for £25.00 (+p&p). You’ll also receive your FREE Presentation Album to house your collection. You can cancel your subscription at anytime. Click here to secure yours >>
80 years on from El Alamein: The battle we simply had to win…
“Before Alamein we never had a victory. After we never had a defeat.”
Winston Churchill
It’s 1942 and the fortunes of war are running against the Allies on almost every front.
In the east, the Soviets are in collapse.
In the Atlantic, U-boats are crippling the ferrying-in of Britain’s vital supplies.
While, in western Europe, Nazi troops are the occupying force in country after country.
To North Africa, where Rommel’s Afrika Korps are trying to break through to the Suez Canal – and to that all important oil of the Middle East.
To stop them, the Egyptian village of El Alamein, situated between the Mediterranean Sea and the Qattara Depression, simply had to be held.
The defending Allies were represented by the Eighth Army – the ‘Desert Rats’, led by General Montgomery.
Montgomery had a plan. He would launch a diversionary attack to the south, while the main attack would come from the north, nearer to the coast.
And 80 years ago, on the night of 23-24 October 1942, the attack began.
A noise so great, the gunners’ ears bled
It started with the firing of over 800 artillery pieces at the German lines, creating a noise so great that, according to legend, the ears of the gunners bled.
When the infantry attacked, they were followed by tanks that moved through the minefield along a path cleared by engineers.
Outnumbered and under constant attack from land and air forces, on November 4th, Rommel, refusing to carry out Hitler’s suicidal order to fight to the last, retreated.
Image Credit: Chetwyn (Sgt), No 1 Army Film & Photographic Unit.
The Battle of El Alamein, fought in the deserts of North Africa with tank warfare at the heart of it, was undoubtedly one of the pivotal battles of World War II.
The battle revived the morale of the Allies and helped turn the tide during the war. As Churchill noted, “After Alamein we never had a defeat”.
The Battle of El Alamein NumisProof
A Silver Proof NumisProof Commemorative has been issued to mark the 80th Anniversary of the battle of El Alamein.
This stunning NumisProof has been struck from Sterling Silver to a perfect Proof finish, it features a full colour design created by world renowned digital artist Adam Tooby.
It depicts the two leading military commanders involved in the battle – Britain’s Bernard Montgomery and Germany’s Erwin Rommel, with the battle raging in the background.
For such an important anniversary of such an important WWII battle, you’ll be surprised by the edition limit. Just 250 have been authorised.
Today I invite you to be one of just 250 people in the world to own this scarce 80th anniversary commemorative.
Click here to own the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein NumisProof >>
The Story of the Falklands Conflict – told through a Brand New Set of Commemoratives
For many it’s hard to believe that it’s been 40 years since the Falklands conflict took place.
It’s a conflict our nation remembers only too well. It was one of the first military endeavours that had been televised, with daily reports being broadcast to our screens, reports of heroic fighting and of course, sadly, casualties.
Indeed, it’s to all those that served our country in the Falklands that we’re proud to dedicate a superb set of new commemoratives – issued for the 40th anniversary.
I’d like to talk you through each of the designs, and in doing so tell the story of the Falklands conflict…
Our battleships crossing the Atlantic
In a move condemned by the United Nations, in 1976 Argentinian forces occupied the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. In the weeks that followed, islanders were forcibly deported.
In response, for the first time since the Second World War, all branches of the British armed forces were deployed and within days a British task force set sail across the Atlantic.
Troops landing on the Falkland Islands
The Task Force landed 4,000 troops in the East Falklands. Goose Green was the first settlement to be taken by British forces. British troops then face a difficult journey through tough terrain, enemy minefields, and hostile weather conditions.
British troops ‘yomping’ across difficult terrain on the Islands
The design of this commemorative pays homage to one of the most famous images from the conflict, taken by Royal Marines photographer Peter Holdgate, showing a Corporal with a Union flag fixed to his pack.
British aircraft patrolling the skies
British aircraft played a key role in the conflict, most famously with the Harrier jets and the Vulcan bomber – two planes that are still strong in British consciousness because of their important role in defending the Falklands.
Although at the start of the conflict Argentina seemed to have an advantage in the air with over 100 aircraft of varying types, it was the strategy of the British Air Force that meant the British pilots were able to beat the odds and take control of the skies.
Returning to a Hero’s welcome
British troops were eventually able to make their way home, with huge crowds gathering in Portsmouth and Southampton to welcome them back – a well deserved hero’s welcome on their return.
This BRAND NEW set of commemoratives tells the story of the conflict and comes complete in a presentation pack to display and store them for years to come. I hope that you agree that it’s a perfect tribute to this important moment in British military history.
Did you serve in the Falklands or have memories of family or friends that were involved? As part of our remembering of the conflict 40 years since the invasion, we’d love to hear your stories in the comments below.
If you’re interested…
Click here to view the full range of Falklands War Commemoratives >>