Stonehaven British Legion opened its doors for an intimate showing of the Queen’s funeral.
The social club was open to members and the wider community as a place to gather together to pay final respects to Her Majesty.
Shortly before the funeral started the streets of Stonehaven were empty, while the sun shone down on the beautiful seaside town.
Calum Adams, chairman of the club, and Pam Gerrard, treasurer, decided to open their doors to the community.
Ms Gerrard said : “It was just for a place for people to gather and for the community really – our own members as well as the extended community.
“It’s the economical side of it as well, some of our members are older and a lot of them are ex-forces.”
Mr Adams added: “Some of them will have met the Queen, some won’t. It would be fine if they came along and shared their memories.”
Emotional viewing for veterans
The board of trustees for Royal British Legion gave clubs across the UK permission to open for their patron’s funeral.
Stewart Hector, 68, watched part of the funeral at home before deciding to go to the club. Mr Hector served in the Army for 12 years and watched the servicemen take part in the procession with a keen eye.
He said the funeral was “spectacular” and “emotional”.
The army veteran said: “The marching, it was something else, they didn’t put a foot wrong, I couldn’t find a fault.
“For so many people to do it you think something would happen, but it was precise.
“The services, the army, the navy and the RAF did her proud – as did the rest of the Royal Family.”
Blue skies and sunshine in Stonehaven for the Queen’s funeral. It’s so quiet here it feels like a Sunday morning. We’re at the British Legion social club where the funeral is being shown. pic.twitter.com/MPvNkjrJca
— Lauren Taylor (@ltaylor_DCT) September 19, 2022
Another veteran, who did not wish to be named, spoke of his time in the Gordon Highlanders.
He recalled meeting the Queen twice as well as meeting Charles when he had the title of the Duke of Rothesay.
He added that he’s kept all the papers reporting on the late Queen.
‘We didn’t want to miss it’
Lin and Gary Sunderland from Richmond in North Yorkshire have been staying in the caravan park at Stonehaven since last Tuesday.
The couple were worried they wouldn’t be able to watch the Queen’s funeral because their caravan doesn’t have a TV, but discovered the club was open to all.
Mrs Sunderland said: “We we’re upset at the thought we’d miss it, but people in the town told us about this and we asked.
“We wanted to see it, we didn’t want to miss it, so it’s very important to us that we’re here.
“We’re grateful we were able to see it.”
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