Despite the significance of the occasion, Founder's Day Parade and Trooping of the Colour for the Centenary celebrations in October 1947 was a lean, austere, and very simple affair compared to former times. The new date for India's Independence had been announced earlier in the year and partition of the sub-continent had become imminent sooner than expected. Parents anxious for the safety of their children began to withdraw them from School and Department strengths diminished daily throughout the early part of the year.

For this hugely important parade, the School only just managed to field three Guards, each of about 15 strong. The Band, which in former times could boast the same number of musicians as any Regimental band in India, was reduced to a few bugles and drums. The seconded Band Master had already left some months before and direction of the band fell to the senior bugler. The Chief Instructor WOI (RSM) Davies who formerly ruled the parade ground with a rod of iron, did not return for the '47 school term. His place was taken by WOII "Jock" Watt APTC. Jock was a exceptionally good Physical Training Instructor, but knew little or nothing about foot drill and parade ground protocols. So, for this important parade, we were drilled and knocked into some semblance of order by Sgt Willis, the Weapons and Drill Instructor! We also relied to some extent on the 'corporate' knowledge of the senior boys who had been through the parade routines and protocols many times before.

The School "dharzis", {tailors], all three of them Muslims, had left for the newly settled border with the rest of their brethren the previous month, so on this of all occasions, we paraded in our everyday Barrack Dress and not the usual full Service Parade uniforms. The parade format was also radically revised and simplified. The Advance in Review Order was conducted solely by the colours, colour guard and parade commander, and the three Guards marched past the saluting base just once in column of route and not, (as usual) for a second time in slow time and line abreast. The Band, bless them, gave us all the familiar bugle marches but could not of course, manage the School Song march. However, somehow or other we managed to put on a performance to honour the occasion and do justice to the visit of the Viceroy, the CinC and the Indian Government Ministers who attended the ceremony.

• Parade Commander: K. Wagstaff, Nicholson [Headboy]
• No. 1 Guard Commander: R. Jones, Outram
• No. 2 Guard Commander: J. Rogers, Herbert-Edwardes
• No. 3 Guard Commander: P. Edwards, Lawrence
• School Colour Bearer: J. Winton, Havelock
• King's Colour Bearer: D. Boddington, Roberts
• Parade Right Marker: R. Bailey, Nicholson
• Band Leader/Senior Bugler: R. Brodie, Lawrence

D.V. Boddington
(LRMS Sanawar 1942-1947)
March 2005.