Funeral rehearsal 'went very well'

A full military rehearsal for Baroness Thatcher's funeral has taken place.

Major Andrew Chatburn, the man in charge of choreographing the parade, said the rehearsal "went very well" and claimed it was "vitally important" to stage a trial of Wednesday's event.

More than 700 serving Armed Forces personnel gathered in central London before dawn on Monday as a Union flag-draped coffin was carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage from St Clement Danes, the church of the Royal Air Force, down the Strand to St Paul's Cathedral.

Maj Chatburn, ceremonial staff officer for the Household Division, who was also behind the royal wedding procession two years ago and last year's Diamond Jubilee parade, said: "Timings are most important. We will learn something quite significant this morning about the timings, and to familiarise the troops of their duties.

"Bearing in mind these are sailors, soldiers and airmen who have come in to do this specific task from their routine duties, so it's new to them. They need to see the ground as well so they can get a feel for how it's going to go and they can perform their duties with confidence on the day.

"I thought it went very well."

The procession band played the funeral marches of Chopin, Beethoven and Mendelssohn as it made its way along the deserted streets.

During the rehearsal the military and police wore their working dress and high visibility clothes respectively, but they will be in ceremonial uniform on Wednesday.

The pensioners from Royal Hospital Chelsea did not take part due to the early start, but they will line the west steps of St Paul's for the real event.

Maj Chatburn added: "We'll go back now, we'll have a debriefing and we'll take the points from that. We'll address whatever we have to address. If it's additional rehearsals in barracks we'll conduct those rehearsals and we'll get it right on the day."