Flashback To Trafalgar Day Parade in 1958 and Guildford’s Sea Cadets

Published on: 21 Oct, 2016
Updated on: 20 Oct, 2016

Today, Friday, October 21, marks Trafalgar Day, and these pictures show Guildford’s TS Queen Charlotte Sea Cadets providing the guard of honour at the parade in London on that day in 1958.

Guildford's TS Queen Charlotte Sea Cadets pictured taking part in the Trafalgar Day commemoration in London on October 21, 1958. Click to enlarge in a new window.

Guildford’s TS Queen Charlotte Sea Cadets pictured providing the guard of honour in London at the Trafalgar Day parade on October 21, 1958. Click to enlarge in a new window.

Sent in by Aubrey Lehay, he admits they are a bit blurry, but nonetheless very interesting.

He said: “It was a fabulous day and I wonder how many remember partaking? It was not me who opened the camera in daylight!

“I went to see the parade two years ago and now they have taken away their rifles.”

Guildford Sea Cadets pictured back in 1958. Did you take part in that year's Trafalgar Day commemoration in London? If so and you have some memories, please leave a reply in the box at the foot of this post. Click to enlarge in a new window.

Guildford Sea Cadets pictured in Trafalgar Square back in 1958. Did you take part in that year’s Trafalgar Day parade in London? If so and you have some memories, please leave a reply in the box at the foot of this post. Click to enlarge image in a new window.

Trafalgar Day celebrates the victory won by the Royal Navy, commanded by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, over the combined French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

This year the parade will take place in Trafalgar Square on Sunday, October 23.

Did you take part in 1958’s Trafalgar Day commemoration in London? If so and you have some memories, please leave a reply in the box at the foot of this post.

Responses to Flashback To Trafalgar Day Parade in 1958 and Guildford’s Sea Cadets

George Trask Reply

October 23, 2016 at 8:23 pm

Are you sure that it was 1958? I was a member of the guard but that was in the year was 1953 2 other guards I remember were Barry Randall and Bobby Dennard it was really hot that day the guard commander was a Lieutenant Bernau (think that’s how it was spelt).We march from the Mall to the square behind the band of the Royal Marines trouble was we couldn’t hear the guard commanders orders!! If 1955 I represented Southern Sea Cadets in the National Sea Cadte swimming Chanpionships at Morecombe and became the first Guildford cadet to bring home gold for 50mts Breastroke. Regards George Trask
Aubrey Lehay Reply

October 26, 2016 at 4:02 pm

Hello George, 1958 for sure.

In 1953 I was only nine years old and the only things I was in was the library club at the top of High Street and the cubs.

The reason we could not hear Lt King’ss commands was because they had neglected to turn off the fountains.

The Royal Marine band played although Queen Charlotte had their own.

Hill was the drum major and Carter the southern area boxing champ.

That night we went to the Palladium. During August of that same summer we had taken a cutter that we had restored at Dapdune Wharf up the Thames for a week’s camping. It poured every day but no one cared.
Chris Dandridge Reply

April 28, 2020 at 12:19 pm

I remember it well it was 1958 for sure.

That year we had won the Canada trophy and had a presentation parade at the Guildford City football ground.

I was in the guard on both occasions our guard commander was Lieutenant Berneau.

After the Trafalgar Square parade, myself and another lad presented him with a toy sword we had bought in Woolworths.
Tim Tuson Reply

April 17, 2021 at 8:20 am

Surely not 1958. 1955 or ’56 I think. I was on the cutter “Kingston Ravens”. I was a rower, we won loads of stuff.

Also, with three others, I canoed to Littlehampton on the remains of the Wey-Arun Canal.

The guard also paraded at the Royal Tattoo.