The National Day military parade is edging ever closer. Nearly 730 participants from the Luxembourg Army, the police, and the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS) will march through Avenue de la Liberté on Friday from noon onwards.
The final rehearsal for the event took place on Sunday. Soldiers, officers, and musicians thus gathered in the capital at 9am to complete a final test run ahead of National Day.
“It is always exciting”, said clarinet player Sarah Czech, who will be on duty in Luxembourg City on both National Day and the evening proceeding it. “It is indeed a tough programme, but it is also definitely fun to be a part of it.”
Aside from the absence of the military planes, the rehearsal was a faithful recreation of the National Day programme.
Although each participating group had already spent a lot of time getting ready, Sunday was the first time that the entire procession came together as a full unit, according to Major Van Camp.
Adjutant Major Monique Bernotte will be in charge of leading the parade. She first carried out this role in 2018 after General Duschène recognised her potential during a military concert. She showed herself excited about the role: “It is really fun and something else to see the event from this side after having stood with the troops for so many years.”
Bernotte will be standing next to the honorary stand where, among others, the Grand Ducal family will watch the parade.
Even the arrival of the monarch was rehearsed on Sunday to make it as realistic as possible. After all, officials do not want anything to go wrong on the big day.
