Shropshire officer swapped police uniform for military role at coronation
An acting sergeant from West Mercia Police returned to his army life to perform a mounted role as part of King Charles III’s coronation parade at the weekend.
Owen Beynon Brown, who is based in Oswestry, is in the Army Reserves having left the regular army nine years ago.
During the coronation he rode as part of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery. It had the responsibility of firing a six gun salvo from Horse Guards Parade as the crown was placed on The King’s head.
“We then formed up and took part as the lead element of the military procession back to Buckingham Palace,” said Acting Sergeant Beynon Brown.
“It was a momentous day with the sheer number of military on parade and police in attendance.”
He had previously ridden in all four salutes as part of Operation London Bridge to mark the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Acting Sergeant Beynon Brown was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 2007, serving as a regular officer until he left in 2014.
This included serving from 2010-14 as a section commander within the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the official saluting battery for the royal household.
“During those four years I rode on all official parades, including the Queen’s Birthday Parade Trooping the Colour, state visits, the state opening of Parliament, Royal Windsor Horse Show, the British Military Tournament as well as escorting the Olympic torch in 2012,” he added.
Acting Sergeant Beynon Brown left the Regular Army in 2014 and joined West Mercia Police in 2015 on response in Oswestry and became acting sergeant two months ago.
He rejoined the Army Reserves in 2019 as a reserve section commander in the King's Troop.
