Latest news with #12thLancers
The Independent
05-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Queen says her father was ‘lucky' despite being shot in the face during war
Queen Camilla has revealed her father's near-death experience during the Second World War, describing him as "so lucky" to have survived a facial gunshot wound. The revelation came during a conversation with veteran Douglas Cracknell at Clarence House, broadcast as part of the BBC's VE Day coverage. Major Bruce Shand, the Queen's father, served with the 12th Lancers and was twice decorated with the Military Cross for his bravery. His first award came in 1940 during the harrowing retreat to Dunkirk, and the second in 1942 for his service in North Africa. While the Queen did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding her father's injury, her comment underscores the dangers he faced during the conflict. She told Mr Cracknell: 'My father, who was captured at El Alamein, he was shot at and the bullet went through one side of his face, came out the other and he was so lucky because he didn't hit his teeth or his tongue.' The 99-year-old responded: 'I always done what my father told me to do… Keep your head down.' 'Keep your head down, yes well that's what I'd like to say is possibly very sensible advice because here you are today to tell the tale,' the Queen replied, laughing. Reading an extract of her father's diary, Camilla said: 'Letters from home were very much the linchpins of our existence and the arrival of the post to regular intervals never failed in its excitement. 'I still recall the thrill some weeks after coming into the camp when somebody appeared in the library to tell me that there were a dozen letters waiting for me on my bed.' 'I remain eternally grateful to my many correspondents, family and otherwise,' she continued. The Queen told Mr Cracknell that her father 'never' talked to her about the war after he returned home. 'But I think really it should be talked about,' the veteran responded. 'We need it for future generations,' Camilla said, adding that passing down stories from the war to younger people was 'very important because they wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for all of you'. Earlier in the conversion, the Queen admired Mr Cracknell's Legion d'Honneur medal and said he should be 'very proud' of it. Of his memories of VE Day, the veteran recalled: 'I was in Bruges and they read out that the war was over and then that was chaos.' 'I woke up two days later in a barn,' he added, laughing.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Queen says her father was ‘lucky' despite being shot in the face during war
Queen Camilla has revealed her father's near-death experience during the Second World War, describing him as "so lucky" to have survived a facial gunshot wound. The revelation came during a conversation with veteran Douglas Cracknell at Clarence House, broadcast as part of the BBC's VE Day coverage. Major Bruce Shand, the Queen's father, served with the 12th Lancers and was twice decorated with the Military Cross for his bravery. His first award came in 1940 during the harrowing retreat to Dunkirk, and the second in 1942 for his service in North Africa. While the Queen did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding her father's injury, her comment underscores the dangers he faced during the conflict. She told Mr Cracknell: 'My father, who was captured at El Alamein, he was shot at and the bullet went through one side of his face, came out the other and he was so lucky because he didn't hit his teeth or his tongue.' The 99-year-old responded: 'I always done what my father told me to do… Keep your head down.' Last week, The Queen sat down with veteran Douglas Cracknell at Clarence House ahead of #VEDay80 commemorations. Douglas was awarded the Legion d'Honneur for his service during the Second World War, when he served as a rifleman in the 5th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.… — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 5, 2025 'Keep your head down, yes well that's what I'd like to say is possibly very sensible advice because here you are today to tell the tale,' the Queen replied, laughing. Reading an extract of her father's diary, Camilla said: 'Letters from home were very much the linchpins of our existence and the arrival of the post to regular intervals never failed in its excitement. 'I still recall the thrill some weeks after coming into the camp when somebody appeared in the library to tell me that there were a dozen letters waiting for me on my bed.' 'I remain eternally grateful to my many correspondents, family and otherwise,' she continued. The Queen told Mr Cracknell that her father 'never' talked to her about the war after he returned home. 'But I think really it should be talked about,' the veteran responded. 'We need it for future generations,' Camilla said, adding that passing down stories from the war to younger people was 'very important because they wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for all of you'. Earlier in the conversion, the Queen admired Mr Cracknell's Legion d'Honneur medal and said he should be 'very proud' of it. Of his memories of VE Day, the veteran recalled: 'I was in Bruges and they read out that the war was over and then that was chaos.' 'I woke up two days later in a barn,' he added, laughing.
Metro
05-05-2025
- General
- Metro
Queen tells veteran how her 'lucky' dad survived being shot in face during war
Queen Camilla has recalled how her dad was shot through the side of his face when he was captured in Egypt during World War II. In a conversation broadcast by the BBC as part of its VE Day coverage, she spoke to veteran Douglas Cracknell about her family's experience of the war. Major Bruce Shand, the Queen's father, was awarded the Military Cross twice for his actions during the retreat to Dunkirk and in North Africa. He was serving in the 12th Lancers in El Alamein when he was shot at. The Queen said: 'The bullet went through one side of his face, came out the other and he was so lucky because he didn't hit his teeth or his tongue.' Mr Cracknell, 99, replied: 'I always done what my father told me to do… Keep your head down.' Laughing, the Queen said: 'Keep your head down. Yes, well that's what I'd like to say is possibly very sensible advice, because here you are today to tell the tale.' She recalled how her father never spoke about his experiences in the war after he returned home. The veteran responded: 'But I think really it should be talked about.' Queen Camilla agreed, saying: 'We need it for future generations.' More Trending Though her dad did not tell her stories from the conflict, she was able to learn about them from his wartime diary. Reading an extract, the Queen said: 'Letters from home were very much the linchpins of our existence and the arrival of the post to regular intervals never failed in its excitement. 'I still recall the thrill some weeks after coming into the camp when somebody appeared in the library to tell me that there were a dozen letters waiting for me on my bed.' 'I remain eternally grateful to my many correspondents, family and otherwise.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: All the times Prince Louis stole the show – his most iconic and adorable moments MORE: I ate like a WWII Land Girl for a week to see if it helped me muster the Blitz spirit MORE: Is VE Day 2025 a bank holiday in the UK?
Powys County Times
05-05-2025
- General
- Powys County Times
King follows in grandfather's footsteps by not wearing medals at VE Day parade
The King followed in his grandfather's footsteps 80 years on as he chose not to adorn his uniform with medals at the VE Day parade. Charles wore the naval No.1 dress uniform to see Monday's military procession and flypast in central London to kick off four days of celebration. He elected not to wear medals, reflecting the same choice made by King George VI when he stepped on to the Buckingham Palace balcony on May 8 1945. The Queen paid tribute to her family's military legacy with a 12th Royal Lancers brooch – her late father's regiment – pinned to her sapphire blue wool crepe dress and coat. Her father, Major Bruce Shand, served with the 12th Lancers during the Second World War and was awarded the Military Cross in 1940 during the retreat to Dunkirk, and again in 1942 for his efforts in North Africa, and was later wounded and taken prisoner while fighting in the same region. He died in June 2006 aged 89. On Monday, the Princess of Wales also wore a brooch fit for the occasion – an RAF wings pin. Kate's grandfather served in the RAF as a fighter pilot during the Second World War. The Princess Royal wore the uniform of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal's Volunteer Corps), emulating what the late Queen wore when she was a princess appearing on the Palace balcony on VE Day in 1945. The Prince of Wales was dressed in the RAF No.1 uniform. Members of the royal family watched the parade on Monday from a specially built platform on the Queen Victoria Memorial before making their way to Buckingham Palace's balcony to watch the flypast overhead against a soundtrack of cheering crowds.
The Herald Scotland
05-05-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
King follows in grandfather's footsteps by not wearing medals at VE Day parade
He elected not to wear medals, reflecting the same choice made by King George VI when he stepped on to the Buckingham Palace balcony on May 8 1945. The Waleses watched the flypast soar above Buckingham Palace (Aaron Chown/PA) The Queen paid tribute to her family's military legacy with a 12th Royal Lancers brooch – her late father's regiment – pinned to her sapphire blue wool crepe dress and coat. Her father, Major Bruce Shand, served with the 12th Lancers during the Second World War and was awarded the Military Cross in 1940 during the retreat to Dunkirk, and again in 1942 for his efforts in North Africa, and was later wounded and taken prisoner while fighting in the same region. He died in June 2006 aged 89. On Monday, the Princess of Wales also wore a brooch fit for the occasion – an RAF wings pin. Kate's grandfather served in the RAF as a fighter pilot during the Second World War. Members of the royal family on Buckingham Palace's balcony (Aaron Chown/PA) The Princess Royal wore the uniform of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal's Volunteer Corps), emulating what the late Queen wore when she was a princess appearing on the Palace balcony on VE Day in 1945. The Prince of Wales was dressed in the RAF No.1 uniform. Members of the royal family watched the parade on Monday from a specially built platform on the Queen Victoria Memorial before making their way to Buckingham Palace's balcony to watch the flypast overhead against a soundtrack of cheering crowds.
