On Sunday 5th March with a chill wind and heavy rain lashing King’s Lynn, the Air Cadets of 42F (King’s Lynn) Squadron took up position inside the town’s Minster church, instead of their usual position outside the west door, as an Honour Guard for the annual High Sheriff of Norfolk’s church service for Her Majesties Justices.
A packed congregation stood as the colourful civic party, resplendent in robes and uniforms, made its way from the nearby Town Hall, and into the church, passing through the Honour Guard as it did so.
The office of High Sheriff, currently held by Major General Sir William Cubitt, KCVO, CBE, is at least 1,000 years old, and is the oldest secular office under the Crown. The High Sheriff remains the Sovereign’s representative in the County for all matters relating to the Judiciary and the maintenance of law and order.
The large civic procession, led by Mace-Bearers carrying the town’s regalia, included Norfolk’s
Chief Constable, the High Sheriff, Barristers, Purple and Red Robed Judges, the Lord
Lieutenant of Norfolk the Borough Mayor and Deputy Mayor, senior officers of both the British and American military and numerous other prominent members of the community.
The procession having entered, the cadets themselves took up their own reserved seats
in church for the service. Speaking later 42F’s Commanding Officer, Flight Lieutenant
Pauline Petch, said “We are always able to turn out a number of our Cadets for these important civic functions and they genuinely do enjoy taking part”.