Blenheim officer makes history at monarch's funeral

A Blenheim air force officer has helped make history after marching in the Queen’s funeral procession.

Royal New Zealand Air Force logistics and supply specialist, Warrant Officer Darren “Digby” Bentley arrived in London last week to begin training for the historic event.

For the former Marlborough Boys’ College student, it was a very proud moment.

“I’ve been very proud to be part of something that is much bigger than me. This is part of history, walking down there.

“It’s something I can tell the grandchildren.”

Despite having strong Scottish and English heritage, with grandparents on both sides coming from the UK, Darren had not been to Britain before.

Watching the Queen’s casket being taken from the gun carriage to the Royal hearse and driven away was a ‘’goosebump’ moment, he reveals.

“You knew it was the final thing and the last time I would ever see her.”

Currently posted to NZDF Auckland, Darren was one of 24 New Zealand Defence Force sailors, soldiers and aviators alongside Australian and Canadian personnel in the Commonwealth contingent.

They had spent a week training for the historic march which took them from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch

The NZDF contingent arrived last Monday and spent the week training at Pirbright Army Camp in Surrey.

In the early hours of Thursday morning (UK time) they were part of a full dress rehearsal with UK Armed Forces on the Mall in London.

A highlight of the week was the Prince and Princess of Wales’ visit to Pirbright on Friday, to thank the Commonwealth contingents for coming this far.

The New Zealand contingent returned the thanks by performing the Defence Force haka.

As a Warrant Officer, getting back into marching drill was a case of blowing off the cobwebs, Darren says.

“It’s been good to get a refresh from the younger ones,” he says. “It’s been great watching them and seeing how they are experiencing this.

Darren joined the Air Force in 1990 after leaving Marlborough Boys’ College. His father came home with a brochure and he thought the idea of airplanes and helicopters sounded pretty cool.

“Thirty-two years later, here I am,” he says.

As a Logistics and Supply specialist, Darren has travelled widely, including stints in East Timor and the New Zealand Defence Force’s support to the Antarctic programme.

Darren was on the first Boeing 757 flight to land on the ice near McMurdo Base and has been an instructor for years.

“My parents were well-known school teachers and my sister teaches at Marlborough Girls’ College. So I haven’t quite discarded the family gene.”