The Golden Jubilee Royal Tour

On 26 February 2002, Admiral of the Fleet His Royal Highness the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh unveilled the Royal New Zealand Navy’s recently refurbished War Memorial at the Devonport Naval Base. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission funded memorial was originally dedicated by the then Prime Minister Rt Hon Walter Nash in 1959 to commemorate all those who served in the NZ Division, RNR, RNVR(NZ) and the RNZN, RNZNR and RNZNVR who died in the Second World War and have no known grave.

PAYING HOMAGE: His Royal Highness together with RNZRSA National Vice-President Colin Topp laid wreaths on the memorial during the ceremony.		WHAT’S THAT ONE?: At lunch in the Philomel Wardroom, Prince Philip mingled with naval veterans and serving officers. Here he talks with World War II veteran Jim Blackburn.

Colourful pageantry mixed with personal informality was the order of the day when Her Majesty The Queen and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh paid a visit to Burnham Camp during their short Jubilee tour of New Zealand in February.

The Queen had asked to meet members of 6 New Zealand Battalion Group (NZBAT6) training for deployment to East Timor in May. The troops were most encouraged by her military knowledge, and as one soldier said, "The Queen talked infantry things with the infantry and engineer things with the engineers."

ROYAL GUARD: Escorted by the Royal Guard commander Major Brett Wellington, Her Majesty inspects the Royal Guard drawn from the 2nd/1st Battalion RNZIR during her visit to Burnham Camp.		TALKING INFANTRY THINGS: Queen Elizabeth chats with Lance Corporal Wayne Neale, a sniper from NZBAT6 wearing a guille suit. The introduction was provided by Sergeant John Cantwell and the battalion’s Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Dean Baigent.