The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London on Monday, September 19 saw the security contractor Wilson James play a part. Many people lined the streets of London of the route to show their respect.
Behind all the pomp and ceremony was Operation London Bridge, a plan refined over many years. One of the largest of its kind ever in London, over 12,000 private security people and stewards supported police officers from across the UK and military personnel to keep the royal family, mourners and the public safe and the event free from any disruption. Some 192 at Wilson James volunteered their services including 19 senior management team members.
The Wilson James team was deployed along the procession across Kensington, pictured. The day started with a briefing at 5am and personnel were sent to designated areas, with teams in position from 7am until demobilisation at 4pm. An operational command centre was set up at Brompton Oratory nearby and a secondary break area at the Royal College of Art provided facilities for rest, staff welfare and additional command and control.
The planning on the day was meticulous, the firm reports; officers and supervisors were briefed and a deployment plan saw that the event ran smoothly. Grouping pre-populated teams into dedicated locations also gave personnel smaller areas of responsibility and, combined with the command structure on the day, provided operational management. Personnel registered and were issued with their kit to expedite deployment and make sure all roles and responsibilities were understood.
Gary Sullivan OBE, chairman at Wilson James, said: “Those watching the state funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II would have had little idea of the size and scale of the security operation behind it – that’s how it should be, as it indicates just how well it was carried out. The consensus was that it was a very successful team operation. All Wilson James colleagues performed exceptionally during a long day with an early start, but everyone gave the kind of professional and considered service that was needed for this once in a lifetime event. It was a tremendous honour and privilege to be part of an occasion that marked the end of the second Elizabethan era.”
Visit www.wilsonjames.co.uk.
