Royal Tournament

https://youtu.be/Vkjsgp0iFjo

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On Monday 2nd August 1999, the last performance of the Royal Tournament was staged at Earls Court in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal. The 120-year history of the first, oldest and biggest Military Tattoo in the World came to an end as the cast marched out of the arena for the last time.

https://youtu.be/v0Uxi-WV6us

In 1980, the Royal Tournament celebrated its Centenary. Displays included; Combined Services Physical Training Display, Quadrile of the Household Cavalry, The Services Motor-Cycle Competition, The Kenya Army Band and Dancers, King's Squad Royal Marines and Royal Air Force Police Dog Display. The show closed with The Grand Finale - A cavalcade of the Royal Tournament during the past one hundred years.

https://youtu.be/LjPqIlU0eE4

The Inter-Command Field Gun Competition was an integral part of the Tournament from 1907, although the format varied in the early years. Crews from Chatham, Devonport and Portsmouth had competed regularly up until 1939, in 1947 an additional crew from the Fleet Air Arm was added. Crews from Chatham, Devonport, Fleet Air Arm and Portsmouth competed at ‘The Court’ until 1960 when the Chatham Crew withdrew from the competition. The remaining three crews participated until the final Royal Tournament in 1999.

https://youtu.be/jvyg-fOVQyU

The post war audiences flocked to see the Royal Tournament in great numbers. The show outgrew its home at Olympia and relocated to Earls Court in 1950. It was staged from 7th to 24th June, displays included; Physical Training Display by the Combined Women’s Services, Musical Ride by the Household Cavalry and Parachute Training Display by the Royal Air Force, Transport Command.

https://youtu.be/a2cTTC02R6k

After the 1939 show, the Tournament once again closed its doors for the duration of the Second World War. Audiences returned to Olympia in 1947 for the first post war Tournament. In 1948 another display made its debut at the Tournament, the Royal Air Force Police Dog Display Team performed at the Tournament on a number of occasions between 1948 and their disbandment in 1994. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e6VjuehI Zg

https://youtu.be/_IUt2MdIw0w

The Tournament was staged annually at Olympia between the Wars and became a highlight in the London scene. Various acts made their debut at the Tournament including the Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team. https://youtu.be/PM6dPWJ79JY

https://youtu.be/AkzmFzzJ8nE

The name was changed for a final time in 1920 when the Royal Naval, Military & Air Force Tournament was shortened to the Royal Tournament.

The Tournament returned to Olympia in 1919, with a new name to recognise the newly formed Royal Air Force. The show was known for one year only as the Royal Naval, Military & Air Force Tournament.

https://youtu.be/Iwrdt9sZ5Yc

1914 was the last Royal Naval & Military Tournament before the Great War, the show would not return until after the armistice.