More than 200 Gordon’s School students, together with the school’s Pipes and Drums Band led by Drum Major Ben Shorter, marched the annual parade along Whitehall to the statue of General Gordon on the Thames Embankment on Saturday, 17 January, the start of the school’s memorial weekend.

The West End school, which is the national memorial to General Gordon, is the only one in the country permitted to march along this iconic London venue, an annual event carried out in remembrance of the Victorian war hero in whose honour the school was founded.

Annual remembrance events have taken place in some form since his death in 1885. Now the Whitehall Parade is a highlight in the school calendar with Years 9 and 11 taking part every year.

The parade was inspected by chairman of the Gordon's School trustees, Lieutenant General Sir Richard Cripwell KBE CB, before the students, dressed in ceremonial Blues uniform, marched to the Gordon Statue in Victoria Embankment Gardens.

There they were joined by parents, staff and many tourists for a short service conducted by the school chaplain, the Rev Graham Wright.

Three wreaths were laid at the statue on behalf of governors, trustees, students and staff and for alumni organisation Gordonians.

Tom Gordon, trustee of the Gordon Foundation and direct descendant of General Gordon, laid a wreath on behalf of the Gordon family.

Bugler Ben Hallett, who has sounded The Last Post and the Reveille for the past six years, performed them for the last time as a student at the school. The Lament, Flowers of the Forest, was played by Pipe Major Rory Green.

The Whitehall parade was followed next day by the Gordon Memorial Service in Guildford Cathedral when the Dean of Guildford Cathedral, the Very Reverend Bob Cooper, delivered the Gordon Sermon, in which he likened General Gordon’s courage to David facing Goliath.