The cadets of 121 ( Nuneaton ) Squadron Air Training Corps had a busy day during the Nuneaton Carnival this year.

On Saturday 18 th June at 10:00hrs the fanfare section of the Squadrons band were in place ready to greet the Queen as she arrived. No, not the Carnival Queen, this was to be a right Royal affair. Nuneaton had pulled out all the stops for its Carnival's Diamond Jubilee year and had somehow managed to get the Queen yes Queen Elizabeth to open the days festivities.

Her Majesty The Queen otherwise known as Elizabeth Richard, yes a Queen Elizabeth look-alike and a very good one at that was the this years carnival celebrity. Sorry about the misleading start to this article just a little bit of fun but that's exactly what carnival day is all about.

In the afternoon the 121 Squadron band joined other community groups, floats and bands as it performed in the Nuneaton carnival precession. Onlookers were treated to their renditions of many traditional marches and other well-known tunes.

121 Squadron March Medley

By the time the band reached the end of the route, having played and carried their instruments all the way, they were all extremely tired. However, despite their physical condition and in keeping with the Diamond Jubilee Carnival theme "Carry on Carnival" members of the band "Carried on Regardless" with only a few minutes to change out of their band uniforms and don their combats ready to take part in a Field Gun display.

Cadets from the Sea Cadet Training Ship Vanquisher and Air Cadets from 121 ( Nuneaton ) Squadron Air Training Corps once again joined forces at the Carnival Gala to compete against each other in a Gun Run, which has now become an annual event.

The cadets provided a demonstration of teamwork and discipline in the main arena as they conducted a Field Gun run using scaled replicas of the equipment traditionally used by the Royal Navy at the Royal Tournament since 1912. Hundreds of spectators were held spellbound as the two teams of 10 cadets disassembled, reassembled and manhandled their replica guns and limbers around the obstacle course.

Following the display the Sea Cadet team, which completed the run in the shortest time, was presented with the Carnival Gun Run Cup.

The Air Cadets didn't leave the field empty handed; Cdt Sgt Barber collected the Johnson trophy on behalf of the 121 (Nuneaton) Squadron band, which had been judged to be the best band in the Nuneaton Carnival precession for the second year running.

More images of the Nuneaton carnival & Gun Run 2005