Published in Windlesora 10 (1991)
© WLHG
On 20th June 1868 some 27,000 Volunteer troops arrived in Windsor and Datchet and made their way, regiment by regiment, to the Great Park to the area between the Long Walk and Queen Anne’s Drive known as Queen Anne’s Mead. They had come from all parts of the country for a major Review by Queen Victoria. Windsor town that day was lined with spectators, while flags, emblems and banners of welcome hung from the houses along the line of march. Queen Anne’s Ride itself was crowded with spectators’ carriages, which had had the horses removed so they would take up as little space as possible.
The troops arrived at both the Central and South Western Stations and some at Datchet. In order to facilitate the march into the Park of these latter, a detachment of the Royal Engineers constructed a pontoon bridge across the river at Datchet. This was to help lessen the confusion caused by the large numbers of troops passing through Windsor and to get them to the rendezvous as speedily as possible. The Queen and the Princesses Louise and Beatrice arrived in a carriage at 11 am. to watch the construction of the bridge. This was speedily accomplished and a bridge some 218 feet in length was placed across the river within twenty-eight minutes. It was the first pontoon bridge across the river for the passage of troops. At 12 noon the first battalion started to cross in a formation of fours, while the Royal party stayed to watch the spectacle for about half an hour.
It was not until 3.30 in the afternoon that the gun was fired signalling the regiments to get under arms and move to their positions on the review ground. This emptied the refreshment tents where most of them men had been recovering from their journey to Windsor. Some corps coming to the South-Western Station had been delayed, however, and the Review was in consequence an hour late in starting. It was not until 5 o’clock that the Queen arrived at the review ground, where she proceeded, with the carriages and horsemen of her suite, to pass along the lines of troops before going to the saluting stand for the grand march pass. Not unaturally, some of the crowds loudest cheers were reserved, first, for the Prince of Wales leading a detachment of the Hon. Artillery Company, of which he was Captain-General; and then for the boys from Eton College, whose numbers were swelled by two companies from Harrow School. The march past, which ended at 7 p.m. was followed by some manoeuvres in the form of a sham attack on Windsor, which was defended merely by an imaginary force! The tired Volunteers then marched away to return home by train as they had come.
E.H.C.
Windsor Local History Group 