Grenadier Guards at Queen Victoria's funeral

[afb57]

Hello
My great grandfather was serving in the 1st Battalion of Grenadier Guards based at Windsor in 1901 and in the Guard of Honour. I was wondering what this role actually involved in regard to Queen Victoria's funeral. He was a sergeant major at that time. I attach a photo of him taken about 1896
Thank you
 

[Nanna52]

Like Queen Elizabeth‘S funeral it was a military funeral.  I have a distant relative who was also believed to be involved in Queen Victoria’s funeral.
I found this on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/t9yiG3EUz_A

[hanes teulu]

The newspapers of the time included stage by stage descriptions of the coffin being taken from Osborne House, I.O.W to the Royal Mausoleum, Frogmore, Windsor.

On the 7th Feb1901 at St George's Hall, Windsor, the new King presented the men of the Queen's Company of the 1st Grenadier Guards with the Royal Victorian Order, in recognition of their services in connection with the lying-in-state of the late Queen.

[hanes teulu]

Entering St. George's Chapel.

"At the moment when the west door was flung open, the vista from the altar and from every part of the chapel was a very fine one, with the coffin on the gun-carriage at the foot of the entrance stairs, the background being filled up by a bear skinned guard of honour furnished by the 1st Grenadiers, standing motionless with reversed arms. By two relays of stalwart bearers, selected from the non-coms of the various Guards regiments, the coffin, bare of all its trappings and insignia, was carried up the steps and into the sacred pile".

I listened to a radio programme this week of one of Queen Victoria's dressers, 50 yrs after the event, describing the departure of the coffin from Osborne House. She mentioned its enormous weight - lead lined. One newspaper reported it as weighing half a ton.

[hanes teulu]

Re. the award of the Royal Victoria Order, it was awarded to
" ... about 80 in number, in commemoration of the duties they had performed at Osborne and Windsor since the death of Queen Victoria". A separate report mentions " ... 18 non commissioned officers and 71 men ...".

[hanes teulu]

The Times, 7 Feb 1901
Reporting the award of the medal of the Royal Victorian Order:-

"... When all was ready his Majesty presented the non-commissioned officers and men, about 80 in number, with the commendation which they had been summoned to receive from the hands of the Sovereign. The sergeants received the silver and the corporals and men the bronze medal. The King, in distributing the medals, warmly thanked the company for the highly satisfactory manner in which it had performed its duties at Osborne and Windsor".
He also announced the "Qeen's Company" would now be known as the "King's Company".

Some newspapers only mention it being awarded to those at Osborne, others both Osborne and Windsor. I'm taking the Times as the "Gospel".

The order of the funeral procession has the Grenadiers immediately in front of the coffin ie.

"The gun carriage, drawn by 8 horses, supported by her late Majesty's Equerries and Aides-de-camp and escorted by the Queen's Company of Grenadier Guards.
followed by -
Lieut Col A Davison M.V.O; Lieut Col the Hon H C Legge, M.V.O, Lieut Col Sir A Bigge, K.C.B, C.M.G; Maj Gen Sir J McNeill, V.C, K.C.B, K.C.M.G
followed by -
THE COFFIN"

 

[afb57]

Thank you everyone for your responses.
I now have a better understanding of what his duties were. I'm pretty sure he didn't receive any medal in this instance as the family would have kept it with his long service and good conduct medal. He didn't stay in the Guards transferring to the military provost staff corps in 1902 till completion of 21 yrs service in 1910

[GR2]

There's film of the funeral procession, which you can see on Youtube.

[Nanna52]

As well as the YouTube video I mentioned I also found this when researching information about my relative.

http://www.thamesweb.co.uk/windsor/windsorhistory/royalfunerals/qvicfuneral01.html