16 June 2023
It’s a place steeped in history and the Royal Military College – Duntroon added another chapter when the Corps of Staff Cadets performed the first King’s Birthday Parade in honour of King Charles III.
The parade, or Trooping the Colour, is a time-honoured tradition at Duntroon. Colours were first presented to the Royal Military College in May 1927 by the Duke of York, later to become King George VI. The King's Colour was trooped for the first time at the college on the Queen’s Birthday Parade in 1956 and the annual tradition has continued.
As with many military traditions, its origins date back much further – to the 16th century when, each evening, the Regiment’s Colours were escorted through the ranks of troops to ensure soldiers would be able to recognise their Colours on the battlefield.
It’s an impressive display of pageantry and a nod to tradition, and Governor-General David Hurley pointed out the significance of the staff cadets' involvement.
"The central theme of the coronation ceremony was the dedication to serve his people that His Majesty committed to in his oaths, his anointing and his crowning. Each of you on parade has made a similar oath or affirmation on enlistment. Whether it was to our late Queen, or His Majesty, you have sworn to well and truly serve, and that you would resist enemies, and faithfully discharge your duties according to law,” he said.
Under Officer Maia Beale, due to graduate First Class at the end of June, will long remember his part in the parade.
“Everyone takes pride in their parades. For me, being the Senior Colour Ensign, and being able to carry the King’s Colour, there’s a higher level of pride in that.”
Dressed in ceremonial blue, the Corps of Staff Cadets removed their hats and offered three cheers to the King as Australia’s Federation Guard fired a 21-gun salute from the top of Canberra's Mount Pleasant.
Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, and newly appointed Chief of Personnel Lieutenant General Natasha Fox, were among a gathering of international dignitaries, community members, families and friends.
The final words of the day belonged to Commanding Officer of Duntroon Lieutenant Colonel Brian Hickey.
“The vast majority of our officer corps in the Australian Army have gone through their training at Duntroon, so it holds a special significance. We’ve got 85 graduates of First Class that will shortly head out into wider Army and Air Force as commissioned officers, reaffirming their commitment to service to the nation under King Charles III,” he said.
The graduating class will include members from Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Tonga and Vanuatu.
