Drama as guard FAINTS off the podium while
holding vigil beside Queen's coffin in
Westminster Hall
Daily Mail (UK),
by
Jamie Phillips
Original Article
Posted By: Imright,
9/15/2022 2:23:21 AM
A guard has fainted off the podium while holding vigil next to the Queen's Coffin as she lies in state inside the Palace of Westminster.
Hundreds of thousands of mourners have been queuing to pay their final respects to the monarch following her death at Balmoral on Thursday.
But onlookers were aghast when a guard began swaying on his feet moments before he collapsed.
The man had moments earlier briefly stepped off the podium before retaking his place as other servicemen joined him for a changeover.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
SweetPea3 9/15/2022 2:25:34 AM (No. 1277779)
I'd expect that if he were standing next to Brandon. Poor man.
5 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
Dodge Boy 9/15/2022 2:38:26 AM (No. 1277782)
It's fine. The guard still did his duty to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. But I hope the poor fellow didn't crack his head open on the floor and is okay.
12 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
chance_232 9/15/2022 5:37:39 AM (No. 1277840)
Hint: Never lock your knees when standing at attention for long periods.
17 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
lakerman1 9/15/2022 5:42:50 AM (No. 1277843)
#3 is correct.
We were taught in basic training, USAF, not to lock knees while standing at attention Locking one's knees puts pressure on the poplitiel artery behind the knee, and can cause snycope. (fainting.)
13 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Rinktum 9/15/2022 6:07:31 AM (No. 1277851)
Poor guy. I am sure he is embarrassed, but he’s going to have a video of it. In time, he will look back on it and smile. Hopefully, he wasn’t injured. He did take a tumble though. The excitement of the moment regardless how somber, the adrenaline running through his body, and it can happen to anyone.
9 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Rama41 9/15/2022 6:53:09 AM (No. 1277875)
Understandable to anyone who's ever been in the military.
9 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
JrSample 9/15/2022 7:27:04 AM (No. 1277890)
Don't lock your knees while standing at attention.
5 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Rich323 9/15/2022 7:34:20 AM (No. 1277897)
Hope the guard is ok. They don’t make ‘em like they used to. They used to only take ruff n tumble into military service, now the services have to take “everybody”.
1 person likes this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Rumblehog 9/15/2022 9:01:55 AM (No. 1277969)
There's one thing they drilled into us in Basic Training when standing at attention or parade rest, "Never lock your knees!"
It can cause you to faint.
5 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
red1066 9/15/2022 9:35:28 AM (No. 1277999)
I noticed quite a few of those guards swaying while standing at attention. In addition, those guards stand with their heads bowed which shifts one's weight forward. For these guards, this is a once in a lifetime event. No amount of preparation can prepare them for the type of pressure that is placed on them for something like this with every eye on them and their superiors expecting perfection no matter what. Also, from what I noticed, many in the crowd that lined up to view the casket, were wearing short sleeve shirts many in shorts. It was probably warm out as well, and those uniforms the guard's wear are not made of light material.
6 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
hershey 9/15/2022 10:22:42 AM (No. 1278073)
The first thing they taught us in basic was NEVER lock your knees....
4 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
DVC 9/15/2022 10:34:04 AM (No. 1278101)
My USMC friends tell me that it is important to not lock your knees. This surprised me but apparently it somehow affects blood flow in long periods of standing at attention.
4 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
bighambone 9/15/2022 5:54:48 PM (No. 1278556)
Chances are the man who fainted is not a member of the British military but is a older gentleman who was in the military at one time, but yesterday was a member of civilian organization of Archers.
1 person likes this.
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