Telford's Vern Stokes walks the Mall for the final inspection of troops involved in Queen's funeral
The role undertaken by Telford's Vern Stokes in the funeral processions was dramatically underlined as he walked down the Mall for the final inspection of the troops involved.
Garrison Sergeant Major Andrew ‘Vern’ Stokes is in charge of all the military and ceremonial aspects of the State Funeral.
A small ripple of applause could be heard as he marched past the crowd a solitary figure in the middle of the Mall, flanked by some of the armed forces taking part in the funeral and by Union Jacks.
WO1 Stokes, from Coalbrookdale has admitted that the past week has been exhausting, carrying out his duties and overseeing rehearsal after rehearsal of every aspect of the funeral.
His march down the Mall, watched by millions on their televisions across the world, represented the start of the culmination of those rehearsals and his last duty to the late Queen.
