A Wigan-born soldier was chosen to lead the funeral procession of the Duke of Edinburgh, taking on one of the most important roles as the driver of the prince's hearse on Saturday, April 17.
Corporal Louis Murray, from Atherton, was selected to drive the specially adapted Land Rover Defender, designed in part by the duke himself, carrying his coffin from Windsor Castle to St George's Chapel, where the service would take place.
Corporal Murray was joined by Corporal Craig French, the Land Rover Commander for the Royal Hearse, as all eyes were fixed on them taking the hearse on its short journey, trailed by the Royal Family and the duke's closest loved ones.
Corporal Murray, 29, said: “It is a great privilege and a once-in-lifetime thing to do. I’m very proud and I think my family will be very proud too.
"My granddad, who passed away, was very, very fond of Prince Philip, he thought he was a great man and there are not many people who can say they drove the vehicle that carried His Royal Highness’s coffin. It is an honour to do so.”
The two soldiers were chosen from 8 Training Battalion, of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).
The corps provide engineering support to maintain the Army's vehicles and equipment.
By trade, the two corporals are vehicle mechanics and are permanent staff instructors based at The Prince Philip Barracks, Lyneham, Wiltshire, where they are Section Commanders at their battalion, charged with bringing on the next generation of REME soldiers.
Speaking ahead of the funeral, Corporal Craig French explained the training the pair took on before the historic event: "For the past week I have been rehearsing for the role of Land Rover Commander for the Royal Hearse and it is my job to support the driver, so essentially I ensure that the driver puts the vehicle in the right place at the right time and whether to speed up or slow down.
“We have done a lot of practice over the last few days and you get to feel what the correct speed is, and we know what pace we have to be at. It’s now like second nature.
"There are also a couple of difficult sections on the route and on either side, there are people accompanying the hearse, so it is important to keep a safe distance.
“I am so proud to be doing this and millions of people will be watching, so I am determined to step up to the plate. It is stressful but it is also big honour, even if it is a sombre occasion.”
The British Army has also elaborated on the special relationship enjoyed between the duke, Land Rover and the REME.
"Prince Philips’s affiliation with the REME began in July 1969 when he was made Colonel-in-Chief of the Corps," says the Army.
"Passionate about engineering and technology, he was the perfect figurehead for the like-minded, innovative and creative professionals who keep the Army’s equipment in battle-ready condition.
"The duke’s life-long affiliation with Land Rovers goes back even further. Such is his fondness for the vehicles, he granted his Royal Warrant to Land Rover more than 40 years ago.
"The Land Rover Defender TD5 chassis cab in dark bronze green with an open top rear section was used to carry the Duke’s coffin on Saturday.
"It was designed and custom-made to His Royal Highness’s specification. It was flanked by military pall bearers reflecting the Prince’s special relationships with the respective services and stations."
