Where were you?

I forgot to mention that we were on holiday on the Greek island of Santorini on 11th September 2001. We went back to our hotel room in the mid afternoon because it was so hot and turned on the TV to discover the horror unfolding before our eyes. There were several Americans staying in our hotel and they couldn't contact loved ones to find out if they were safe, because all the US mobile networks were down in the immediate aftermath. We had to travel home, to the UK, with enhanced security that meant we could only have our passports, credit cards, cash, and essential medication on our person and everything else had to be in our hold luggage or left behind. As someone who normally carries a HUGE bag of 'stuff' on my person every time I leave my house I found this very disconcerting, but we were glad just to be as safe as possible and distraught for those who had died or been bereaved.

 

As I was in Australia my memory was in February 1954 when I was 10 years old, our whole school went by coach to the city to stand in the Sydney Cricket Ground along with 36,000 other children to wave our flags and streamers shouting a welcome to Queen Elizabeth II - she was the first reigning monarch to ever visit Australia. (There is a ‘Pathe’ film showing this event) - My twin sister remembered that she fainted because of the heat that day
www.britishpathe.com/video/royal-tour-report-childrens-display

 

Back in May 1976, at the time of the late Queen's state to Finland, I was a very lowly member of the local staff at the British Embassy. At a reception held in the Ambassador's Residence, we locals plus our husbands/wives got an opportunity to meet the Queen and Prince Philip. When it was the turn of Aulis (husband) and me to be introduced, she could so easily have just said smiled and moved on. But, no, she stopped and asked Aulis what he did. When he told her he was a geologist her eyes lit up and she said what an interesting job that must be (or something to that effect) and then said how pleased she was to meet people like us building bridges between countries.
If I was a royalist before, I can tell you I was even more so after that. I was struck by her beautiful complexion, lovely smile and, what seemed to me, genuine interest.

 

My father had received an ISO (Imperial Service Order) in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 1969, and subsequently he was invited to receive it at the Investiture by the Queen on the Britannia in 1970. Each awardee was allowed two guests, so Dad asked me to accompany my stepmother.

However, the first and most important award then was - "Keith Payne was invested with his Victoria Cross by Queen Elizabeth II on the Royal Yacht Britannia in Brisbane on the 13th April 1970." This was the first VC she had presented; she presented three more the following week in Melbourne, two of whom were posthumous, all for Australian servicemen and their actions during the Vietnam war.
Payne received medals for his bravery from Britain, the United States and the Republic of Vietnam. He was presented with his VC by Queen Elizabeth II in Brisbane on 13 April 1970. His wife, Florence, and sons Ronald, Gregory, Colin, Ian and Derek all attended the ceremony aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. {The Queen personally requested that all the boys should be there for this momentous occasion} They were seated at the front very close to the where the Queen presented the awards. The photo of the presentation is widely available online.
A news report today (11 September 2022) says - "Victoria Cross hero (Keith Payne) to attend funeral of 'old friend' the Queen."
His full citation was read and then the Queen spoke to him for a few minutes.
My father's was one of the lesser awards so we were seated at the back of the drawing room but could see the whole Investiture very clearly and still have vivid memories of that wonderful and amazing day. The chauffeur my Dad used that day took some great photos outside, including of the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Anne on the deck of the ship.

 

Having re-read this discussion, we were away from home celebrating my birthday when Diana's funeral took place. Booked a long time before her death.
I do not go away very often for my birthday, but I was away this year for my birthday and arrived at our room for the night to hear the news on the radio about Queen Elizabeth passing away.
I know they were 25 year apart, but I do feel unsure about going away on my birthday in future.