EXERCISE "FORTY TOWERS" - HM TOWER OF LONDON

21st February 2009

On Saturday 21st February, members of the association with 16 CORA guests attended the first "Exercise Forty Towers" at HM Tower of London and took part in a unique Living History Event.

No Combat Uniform in sight, not a blank round was fired in anger and no dirty boots to be seen on this weekend, where civilians mingled in their finest with Officers and enlisted men of the Allied Forces on leave in London.
 
The event ran far better than I had ever anticipated with full co-operation from the Staff of the Tower of London who made every effort to get involved.
 
In brilliant Winter sunshine, members of my own group, FAAA, and the invited members of CORA performed in front of the many thousands of tourists on the Tower Wharf outstandingly and were a credit to the hobby.  The evening dance was a blast and the early darkness of the winter evening gave added ambience to the tour we conducted of the Tower, which culminated in witnessing the ceremony of the keys, one of the oldest traditions this country has.
 
We already have plans for an extended visit to London under way for next year.

To set the scene:

Towards the end of the war, many historic sites in London were opened again for tourists, but this time, the tourists were mostly members of the allied armed forces or war workers living and working in the capital.

While the end of the war drew near, here at home American soldiers wounded and recovering in England in base hospitals, and those men and women of the USAAF still serving at stations throughout the South East, took every opportunity to experience the culture of this fair land.  Today, like many days in the last few months, Allied servicemen and women and civilians come together to visit one of England's National treasures, the Tower of London.

What follows first are a few "then and now" shots that were posed during our tour:
 

Notice the rubble and damaged wall, caused by the only German bomb to hit the Tower during the Blitz

American Soldiers from a base hospital with Airmen on leave, muster at the Middle Tower and wait for others to join their party:

Today is a beautiful winters day, the sun is out and a perfect day to tour London’s city attractions.
 

Groups of Allied servicemen and civilians start to gather within the tower walls, to be met by Yeomen Warders or Senior NCO's of the resident Guards Company

With the end of the war in sight, the feeling among the tour group is one of excitement and relief that those early days of mass bombing of the city is over and people are coming out to socialise again.
 

Security is still high, however, and under the watchful eye of a SHAEF Military Police Sgt, the visitors arrive

Paratroopers of Headquarters First Allied Airborne Army, Ascot, enjoy their first visit to London

Once booked in, parties had assembled at the middle tower and the group set off on the first part of the tour.  With restricted areas still in force, the group were accompanied by members of the Tower's Guards Company, a Yeoman Warder and SHAEF Military Police.  There is still a war on!

As last light rapidly approached, the first tour came to an end and it was back to the Yeoman Warders' Club and a Buffet meal.
 
You would never have known there was a war on, the food presented was enough to feed an army, an Allied Army at that.
 
Before leaving for the Club, the group visited the Garrison Church, a most beautiful place of worship, steeped in Hundreds of years of History.  Laid up in the church, as is the custom in this country, Regimental colours are displayed along the walls, never to be used as a rally point in battle again.

However, our next rallying point would be the Bar!
 

The Troops with their civilian friends retire to the Yeoman Warders' Club for some light refreshments and to rest their feet before the next part of the Tower Visit, the Ceremony of the Keys

The winter night rapidly draws in and the temperature drops, in the cloak room which, 100 years ago would have seen cloaks hanging from the wall pegs, now has servicemens' Greatcoats waiting for their owners

The Ceremony of the keys is never filmed, so no pictures exist to date, however the party were allowed to take one or two pictures prior to the ceremony:

The Guardsman Guide (armed) conducts this part of the Visit, assisted in the security detail by a Sergeant from a London based SHAEF Military Police unit:
 

On returning to the Yeoman Warders' Club after the Ceremony of the keys, the Group and invited guests and Tower Staff were in the mood to party.  In the fantastic Bar which brought back memories of the Sergeants' and Officers' Clubs (Messes) many had frequented in the past it was not long before the party started to swing.

With music and entertainment provided by one of the best period musical entertainers in the business, very soon the dance floor was buzzing.   A cracking night lay ahead:
 

Far too quickly, the day came to an end and at half one in the morning the last of the revellers left the club and made their way over the drawbridge opposite Tower Bridge.  In her final berth across on the other side of the River Thames, HMS Belfast floated proudly, a reminder, as if we needed one, of the sacrifices the people of that time made to ensure we now have the freedom to enjoy such an experience.
 
A cracking social event, spent with some of the very best people in the Hobby.  Before even leaving the Tower, plans were under way for a return next year.