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By Rodney J. Croft
Last year, following the publication of my book about the State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill, a newspaper article about the book caught the eye of an employee of The Corporation of London who then showed it to his superior. They soon discovered that I am a Liveryman in the City of London of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries as well as a Freeman of The City who previously served as a Surgeon-Lieutenant Commander aboard HMS President, London Division Royal Naval Reserve. This convinced Corporation leaders to phone and say that I was wanted to halt some of London’s traffic on 30 January 2015. I thought they were alluding to the age-old tradition, now frowned upon by the Metropolitan Police, of herding a flock of sheep over London Bridge! I was, however, informed that The Corporation wished me to clear Tower Bridge and raise it to allow MV Havengore to pass through in salute to Sir Winston Churchill. Hearing this, I nearly dropped the telephone.
On the big day, accompanied by my wife and family, I arrived at the North East Control Room of Tower Bridge, where I was briefed on procedure by the Bridgemaster. At 12:40 pm Havengore cast off from HMS President downstream from Tower Bridge. The bridge raising procedure then began. Using the Tannoy system I made the announcement to clear the bridge, after which the road and pedestrian gates were closed. The four pumps, one at each base of the Towers, were switched on. A soft humming sound was discernible, but the remainder of the forthcoming manoeuvre was silent. Following the order of the Bridgemaster, I pulled back the black lever on the control panel, and the 1100-ton bascules began to move slowly upwards.
When the lever was fully depressed and the bascules elevated to the normal position of 45º, I enquired when were the bascules ever taken to full elevation and was informed that this honour was normally reserved for the sovereign. “But today for Sir Winston,” I asked, “can we go all the way?” The reply was affirmative! As Havengore passed under the bridge, the bascules were at full elevation, the greatest salute that can be granted by The Port of London Authority.
Rodney J. Croft is a semi-retired general and vascular surgeon living in Essex. His book Churchill’s Final Farewell: The State and Private Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill was excerpted and reviewed in Finest Hour 166.
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