• AFTER hearing on the radio that sailors would be taking the guard at Buckingham Palace, I had to go to see them as I had strong memories of when I was a child at the end of the war.

We would jump up and touch a sailor’s collar for luck, as the collar was a large square hanging across their shoulder.

I got there and stood looking at the sailors through the gates. I noticed one sailor’s left trouser leg had come loose from the spat and was covering all the spat. I felt so sorry for the sailor. There was nothing he could do – the first day on duty! My heart wept for him.

FLORENCE LOTE, WC1