By Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterSCORES OF persons lined the entrance to National Heroes Park in Kingston yesterday to get a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip.
Although a sudden downpour sent some persons scampering and iron rails and officials served as a barrier between them and the royal couple, school children and others who turned out made their presence was felt by cheering and waving Jamaican flags from the sidelines.
The visit itself, to the Cenotaph to pay tribute to those who died during both World Wars, was relatively brief and was sealed off only to the press and specially invited participants.
Her Majesty, unfazed by the rain and sheltered by an umbrella, laid a wreath at the Cenotaph and then she and Prince Philip were quickly guided to greet about 80 ex-servicemen and women, several of whom were decked out in medals and had braved the rain to stand at attention as they waited for her to greet them.
Several of them stand to benefit from the Duke of Edinburgh's chosen Jubilee charity The Com-monwealth Ex-Servicemen's League Jubilee Appeal, which should be launched on March 11, 2002.
Members of the Royal Air Force Association, also told The Gleaner that they would make the same career choices if they could live their lives again.
Among them were former ground crew members in the Royal Air Force, Eudense Wedderburn and Constantine Pilliner, who will turn 80 years old in March. Mr. Pillner regarded yesterday as an early birthday present, the best he had had in a while.
Standing at attention was also Elizabeth Luke, who told The Gleaner that she was wearing medals earned not only by herself but her husband, John, who died on December 1, last year, her father, who served in World War II and her father-in-law, who served in the first world war.
Under a tent were other former ex-servicemen, some of whom had turned up despite disabilities and illnesses that often accompanied age. Among them was 108-year-old Eugent Clarke, one of Jamaica's last surviving World War one veterans.
For wheechair-bound Bill Howell for example, the mere mention of his meeting The Queen brought him to tears.
Undeterred by a stroke, which hindered his speech, Mr. Howell used signs, his son Clive and his nurse, Maxine Campbell, to express his joy and excitement at getting the opportunity to meet The Queen.
Mr. Howell served as a trainee radar engineer in England during World War II when aircraft were bombing London and according to his son, Mr. Howell has two major wishes: to show Her Majesty the souvenirs he has collected during his sojourns abroad covering five countries and to revisit London one more time.
Throughout the visit, Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh were flanked by local and central government officials, security personnel and soldiers from the Third Battalion, Jamaica Regiment.
As the Royal couple prepared to leave the park, The Queen gave a brief wave that drove the crowd into another round of cheering as she was whisked away to King's House.
