Turning of the Page Ceremony
Every morning, at eleven o'clock, the pages of the Books of Remembrance are turned by a member of the House of Commons Protective Service Staff. A calendar was devised so that each page of each book is turned once a year. Some pages are left exposed for several days at a time on or near a date of the anniversary of the actions they commemorate. During the ceremony a guard in uniform (ceremonial coat, gloves and hat) marches in front of the First World War Book, bows and salutes and then marches over to the book on the right. The guard then proceeds to bow, salute and turn the page. This process is repeated for all of the Books of Remembrance and is done in a counterclockwise direction around the Chamber. The guard then marches to the center of the room and bows and salutes once more. Anyone interested in knowing when a certain page containing a particular name will be on display may consult with a member of the staff to receive a calendar showing when the page will be turned. Also, with special permission, certain individuals, such as close family members or friends of the deceased, may be able to view the ceremony which is not usually open to public viewing. |