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00:00There will be stories about murders!
00:03Over its thousand years of history,
00:06everyone who's anyone has passed through its gates.
00:09King Richard III.
00:11Captain Howard.
00:12King Henry VIII.
00:13Declared.
00:14My darling Anne,
00:15I will love you for the rest of your life.
00:19Cheeky.
00:21And this year it's non-stop.
00:25With grand commemorations.
00:27Jumping Jiminy's.
00:29At the ancient fortress,
00:31including a royal visit.
00:33I truly think that Her Majesty will be moved.
00:35We've got a ringside seat to see it all unfold.
00:38Oh my gosh.
00:39While its dedicated staff...
00:41High five!
00:42Yeah!
00:43...work to keep everything on track.
00:45You know this is the queue for the toilet, don't you?
00:47No, I'm not feeding you anymore, no.
00:51In this episode,
00:52the Tower prepares to host Second World War veterans
00:55for a special anniversary.
00:57It would help if the wind just dives down a little bit.
01:00But yeah, they're a tough whole generation.
01:03Seeing the veterans front and centre,
01:05it was just really, really emotional.
01:07A new recruit takes on the ultimate test.
01:10Learning the beef eater tour.
01:12It was quite tough to drag a thousand years of history into my head.
01:15If you can't pass the test, you can't stay at the Tower of London.
01:19And it's a big day for the new ravens
01:22as they're allowed out of their cages for the first time.
01:25Are they going to take to the public?
01:26Are they going to take to the other ravens?
01:28Are they going to get lost?
01:29You know, there's so many questions.
01:31Welcome to the secret world of the Tower of London.
01:36It's mid-afternoon on the 6th of May.
01:46And it's already been one of the most extraordinary days
01:49in modern Tower history.
01:51Beginning with a triumphant 62 gun salute
01:55to mark two years since the coronation of King Charles III.
02:02Followed by an historic visit by Her Majesty Queen Camilla.
02:06It was just amazing to see her today.
02:09And later tonight, there's a special private event
02:12to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day,
02:15the end of the Second World War in Europe.
02:18As the conflict passes out of living memory,
02:21only a handful of veterans who served are still alive.
02:26It is absolutely about reflecting and remembering,
02:29but it's also a celebration to the wonderful men and women
02:32that gave their all for us.
02:35And nine of these veterans
02:37will be coming to the Tower for tonight's event.
02:42Keeping an eye on things from this office in the Waterloo block
02:45is Tower Governor Brigadier Andrew Jackson.
02:48It's more complex than many of the things we've done.
02:51There's lots of moving parts.
02:53There's a Royal Marines band playing the music.
02:56We've got Yomer Warders and other members of the Tower community
02:59reading recollections from the Second World War.
03:01And then we're going to light up the poppy installation
03:04and the side of the White Tower.
03:06I think that bit will be particularly spectacular.
03:09For the next six months,
03:11these scarlet poppies will remain at the Tower
03:13as a symbol of remembrance.
03:15Alongside the veterans,
03:17top military brass will be attending
03:19from every branch of the armed forces.
03:21So the pressure's on to pull off a spectacular show.
03:25But with the fortress full of thousands of tourists during the day,
03:29there's been no chance for a rehearsal ahead of the real thing.
03:34Deputy Governor Anna Kimber
03:36is overseeing the military parade.
03:38Hi, Nev.
03:39Hi, Anna. Are you all right?
03:40I'm all right, thank you.
03:41It will be performed by the band of the Royal Marines,
03:44and Anna's hoping to get some advice from a man on the inside,
03:48Yeoman Warder Nev Dednam.
03:51As a former bandmaster of the Royal Marines...
03:54Yeah.
03:55..I need to pick your brains.
03:56OK, yeah, let's do it.
03:57What do you want to know?
03:58So they're starting down there...
03:59Yeah.
04:00..and they'll march down here,
04:02but because of where the chairs are going to be...
04:04Yeah.
04:05..I don't know how squashed they could be.
04:08The event will take place on the broad walk,
04:10but a stage and large seating section
04:12will leave just a narrow route for marching.
04:15They could squash.
04:16There'd normally be five across.
04:18They can certainly go down to three to get through that gap.
04:20So if it is tight with the chairs and the stage and whatever,
04:23they can do that.
04:24Well, that's great.
04:25That's this bit.
04:26OK.
04:27Over and done with.
04:28Right.
04:29As well as showing off their world-famous musicianship,
04:32the band of the Royal Marines will play a special role
04:35in lighting the poppies at the end of the evening.
04:39So the band will be here.
04:42Everybody else will be there.
04:44Yeah.
04:45I think what would be really nice is members of the band
04:47can perhaps be on the battlements.
04:49Yeah.
04:50So you'd get them silhouetted and what would they be
04:53and what would...
04:54Is that possible?
04:55Maybe take the front rank of the band out,
04:56which is your drummers, your core drums.
04:57Yeah.
04:58They'd maybe go up there.
04:59If four or five buglers could be up there
05:00doing it from the battlements.
05:01That's a great idea.
05:02Fingers crossed the Marines can keep up with the last-minute changes.
05:09Around the fortress, it's business as usual.
05:13A piece of murder, torture and executions!
05:19Behold the head of a traitor!
05:24As well as helping to guard the crown jewels,
05:27each of the fortress's 35 beef-eaters
05:30must lead visitor groups as part of their duties.
05:33Follow me. I know the way.
05:35The hour-long tour covers some of the more colourful highlights
05:39of the tower's thousand-year history.
05:42In that chapel, King Henry VI was murdered.
05:45Perfecting it is one of the trickiest hurdles
05:49in becoming a beef-eater.
05:51Baz Grey recently became the 424th Yeoman Warder
05:58in the tower's history.
06:00I live on the top floor of the hospital block inside the tower.
06:04So my front room and bedroom windows
06:06look at the most iconic building in the UK, the White Tower.
06:10It's crazy.
06:12I've been at Yeoman Warder now for just over three months.
06:15One of the most difficult things in the first three months
06:17is definitely the knowledge.
06:18The public are constantly asking questions,
06:21and to be able to answer them confidently
06:24and without making stuff up
06:26was quite a challenge in the first few months.
06:28After joining the Royal Marines at 16,
06:31Baz spent 26 years in the force
06:34as a mountain leader and regimental sergeant major,
06:37before turning his hand to extreme cold-weather expeditions,
06:41including a 730-mile solo trek to the South Pole.
06:46But nothing could quite prepare him
06:48for the uphill battle of joining the tower.
06:51When I came here as a regimental sergeant major
06:53in the Royal Marines,
06:54we did a tour of London for a whole week,
06:56and part of that was to come here.
06:58And I just found the evening absolutely fascinating,
07:00and I couldn't ever really forget about it.
07:03I knew I wanted to come here at some point in my life.
07:05Baz is nearing the end of his probation period,
07:09during which you must learn the nearly 10,000-word script
07:12of the Yeoman Waters tour, known as the story.
07:18And it's all in here, in this folder,
07:21of 26, 27 pages of A4,
07:24and I just tried to get through hopefully at least one,
07:27if not two new paragraphs every day.
07:29So you've got to keep going over it and over it and over it,
07:32and just making it muscle memory.
07:34At the end of their probation, each beefeater is tested.
07:38They will need to perform the full story from memory
07:41without any mistakes.
07:43They must pass, to be initiated into the Yeoman body.
07:47I'm nervous about it, because it's that big a deal.
07:50Everything rests on that.
07:52So I want it to be good, I want to get it right.
07:56Baz's test is in just a few days' time.
08:00So he's taking every opportunity to squeeze in some practice.
08:05We are now standing at Traitor's Gate,
08:07probably the most famous, or should I say
08:09the most infamous gate in the world.
08:11Due to the large amount of alleged traitors
08:14that entered the mighty fortress through those grim gates.
08:22Coming up, Barney feels the wrath of the ravens
08:24when the vet pays a visit.
08:26I think they've got the hump with me.
08:28And the tower team prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime
08:31VE Day celebration.
08:36In the face of the British weather.
08:38It would help if the wind just dives down a little bit,
08:42would be very handy, but, you know, it could be worse.
08:45Later this evening, the tower will be holding a special event
08:58to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day,
09:01the end of the Second World War in Europe.
09:04And as part of this, it will launch a magnificent poppy tribute.
09:08Poppy's a huge symbol of remembrance for the First World War,
09:11Second World War.
09:13It's been amazing to actually be a part of it.
09:16I've laid a couple of the poppies in there,
09:18and it's always good to remember and respect those
09:21that gave up that big sacrifice for us today.
09:24The fortress played an important role in World War II,
09:30housing troops and prisoners of war,
09:33and growing provisions in the moat,
09:36while German aerial bombardment
09:38caused significant damage across the site.
09:41Today, the tower is home to around 40 military veterans,
09:45including the iconic Beef Eaters.
09:47Many have their own connection to the conflict.
09:50My grandad, Gwyn, was a Welsh Fusilier,
09:53and he actually met my grandma, Vera,
09:56while she was working in the ammunition depot.
09:59My grandma and grandad, Florence and Gordon,
10:03both were part of World War II.
10:05Both have medals of their service.
10:07Grandad was in the Royal Engineers.
10:09My grandma, she was a nurse.
10:12At her home in Chiswick,
10:15one of the veterans who served in the Second World War,
10:18and who will be playing a special role in tonight's event,
10:21is 101-year-old Pat Outram.
10:24Well, that's me in my Wren uniform.
10:27I joined the Wrens as a special duties linguist,
10:31because I knew German from talking a lot with our Austrian cook,
10:37and the job we were trained to do
10:40was listening to Germans talking.
10:44Pat was one of 400 Wrens conscripted
10:47into the top secret special duty service as a linguist,
10:52tasked with listening to radio signals
10:54from German U-boats day and night
10:56to try and decipher enemy plans.
10:59This map shows our listening stations.
11:02I was stationed on the Yorkshire coast,
11:05where we could pick up the German naval ships
11:08going in and out of the Baltic.
11:10And if the message we heard was in Enigma code,
11:16we sent it immediately to Bletchley Park.
11:20Pat and her fellow Wrens played a crucial role
11:23in deciphering the German Enigma code,
11:26saving thousands of Allied forces from U-boat attacks,
11:29and helping to bring about the end of the Second World War in Europe.
11:33On the 8th of May, 1945.
11:36It's a day that Pat will never forget.
11:39Oh, it was a quite amazing day.
11:43We wanted to go to Buckingham Palace and celebrate there.
11:48The king did come out, and we all cheered and carried on.
11:59And I would not have wanted to miss it.
12:06Back at the fortress,
12:07the afternoon crowds are taking in the historic sights
12:13and the ever-popular ravens,
12:15including the two chicks who joined just a few weeks ago.
12:19They've settled in really well.
12:21I couldn't have wished for it to go any better.
12:23They've taken to the public,
12:24because everyone knows about the new arrivals,
12:26and they're just as inquisitive.
12:28Raven master Barney Chandler has been caring for the chicks
12:32and watched them grow to their adult size.
12:35Now they've joined the others in the enclosure,
12:38Barney and his team have picked names for them.
12:41Henry, after the eight King Henrys of England,
12:44some more notorious than others,
12:48and Poe in honour of the Edgar Allan Poe poem, The Raven.
12:53But all of this could be a bit premature,
12:56as there's one crucial detail Barney doesn't know.
13:00Even though we have their names,
13:03we still don't have their sexes.
13:05It has been a bit of a gamble naming them so early,
13:07but we felt it only right that they have names rather than grey and blue.
13:11It's almost impossible to determine a raven's sex just by looking at them.
13:16So Barney has called in a team of vets from London Zoo
13:19to do a DNA test and get some answers.
13:22How have they been doing, Barney? They look great. They look beautiful.
13:25They've been really well. They feed well.
13:27The vet, Ty, will have to pluck some feathers from the chicks
13:31to carry out the DNA testing.
13:33But Barney needs to catch them first.
13:35Oh no, come on then. Let's go. Come on. Let's go. Let's go.
13:41And Henry and Poe are having none of it.
13:44Okay. You used to trust me, didn't you? You used to trust me.
13:48Let's have a look at you then, sweet pea.
13:52Are they biting? Are they biting?
13:54All right.
13:56There you go.
13:57They don't take too kindly to being plucked.
14:00Oh, beautiful. Gorgeous.
14:02We're just going to come under here and find a few nice little feathers.
14:06We usually look at six or so that are good.
14:08There we go.
14:10That's what we want.
14:12I'm sorry, mate. I'm sorry. You're going to go right off me, aren't you?
14:16One cranky raven down, one still to go.
14:20I know. I know.
14:22I know. Come on then. Come on then.
14:26And the aptly named Henry is throwing a right royal tantrum.
14:30Yep, that's my finger.
14:34This one's a little bit more boisterous, isn't it?
14:36Okay, let's get some little feathers.
14:40One more, sweetheart.
14:42And then we're done. Perfect. That's beautiful.
14:44Feathers extracted.
14:46All done. Lovely.
14:48And Henry and Poe can return to their perches in peace.
14:52Yeah, we managed to get feathers, so it's just a few little feathers off each one.
14:56We make sure they've got a nice sort of bit of pulp, which is what's going to be extracted for the DNA.
15:02And then we can see if they're males or females.
15:06While Barney waits for the DNA results, he's just got the small matter of getting the birds back onside.
15:12I think they've got the hump with me because I've been handling them, so they're not happy with me.
15:16I might have put them off their appetite.
15:18There you go. There you go.
15:20Yeah, they're still hungry.
15:22Andrew, Andrew, Andrew.
15:24Okay, ladies and gents, you need to start making your way towards the exit for me, please. Thank you.
15:28With just two hours until tonight's big event, the tower is closing a little earlier than usual.
15:34Good night.
15:36Good night.
15:37But there's an ominous weather warning threatening the ceremony, which is taking place outdoors.
15:42The wind has started to pick up now, and we do have reports that there are going to be blustery winds.
15:48And unfortunately, on the broad walk, it is like a wind tunnel up there.
15:53But with a Royal Marines marching band and a parade of World War II veterans on the programme,
15:58this isn't something that can be moved inside.
16:02Have a nice evening.
16:05The last of our guests have just left the tower. Over.
16:10Up on the broad walk, the troops have started to arrive.
16:17And since they've been busy with their day jobs, there's been no chance to rehearse at the Royal Fortress until now.
16:24Hi, hi, Anna Kimber. Good to see you. Thanks so much for doing the reading.
16:28It will make more sense when the veterans are here and you see what the youngsters are doing with the flowers.
16:34Thanks very much.
16:35All right, thank you.
16:36This conflict tested the Tower of London and the nation...
16:38Deputy Governor Anna Kimber has arrived to carry out some last-minute checks.
16:43Amazing.
16:44Right, yes, thank you.
16:46That's about to blow off.
16:47Where are they marching on from? It's very close by.
16:52Yeah, so obviously you'll be here.
16:55And who's giving the word of command to step off? Have you decided yet?
16:58Well, now there's the thing.
17:02Yeah.
17:03I can give parade by the centre, quick march. Three, two, three big drum rolls and we're gone.
17:09Yeah.
17:10You would know who runs through that?
17:11Yeah.
17:13There's just time for a quick run-through to put the Marines and Cadets through their paces.
17:18Death, death, right, death, right.
17:23Wow.
17:24That makes it real, just as the wind's getting up.
17:27I have a lot of my mates back here tonight kicking off right on cue. That's pretty good for me.
17:31Thankfully, the Marines have managed to adapt to the narrow parade ground.
17:36Left, right, left, right, left, right, left.
17:40But with rehearsals still underway, the British weather takes a worrying turn.
17:47Everybody's put such a lot of effort into it.
17:49So it would help with the wind just dives down a little bit, would be very handy.
17:54But, you know, it could be worse.
17:58All they can do now is cross their fingers and hope for the best.
18:02As the first of tonight's 300 VIP guests begin to arrive,
18:07they're ushered to their seats, while the band, now in their ceremonial finery,
18:13musters up around the corner.
18:15It's time for the Tower Governor, Andrew Jackson,
18:18to welcome tonight's guests of honour.
18:23We share this story to honour the great generation
18:26who fought for the freedoms we treasure.
18:30And so, ladies and gentlemen, if you're able,
18:33please stand to welcome our Second World War veterans.
18:37The nine World War II veterans are escorted onto the Broadwalk
18:46by cadets from each of the armed forces.
18:57Accompanied by the Royal Marines Marching Band,
19:00as their former bandmaster beefeater Nev Dednam looks on.
19:05The great nephew of a former chief yeoman warder starts the evening of readings and music
19:20by telling the story of the tower at war 80 years on.
19:24My great uncle Arthur Henry Cook was a yeoman warder throughout the London Blitz.
19:33He wrote,
19:34The tower rocked of the impact of two bombs which fell near the White Tower,
19:38one within seven yards of it,
19:41for hardly a portion of it had escaped the fury of the night.
19:45Over 40,000 lives were lost during the eighth month period known as the Blitz.
19:52Over 28,000 of them in London alone.
19:54The community of yeoman warders also lost one of their own.
20:00Yeoman warder Samuel Reeves.
20:06By the time the war came to an end,
20:08on the 8th of May 1945,
20:11over 380,000 British service members had lost their lives
20:17and nearly 70,000 British civilians.
20:20It was after the First World War that the poppy first became associated with remembrance.
20:27These fragile flowers peeking through battle-scarred lands
20:31became a powerful symbol of resilience and hope for the future.
20:36As the Second World War begins to pass out of living memory,
20:40the simple act of remembering has never been more important.
20:44Then, stepping up, the nation's poet laureate, Simon Armitage,
20:53takes to the stage to read his specially written poem.
20:57We made them souls, the poppies,
21:01souls of those who we lost,
21:04and let it be said, those who we killed.
21:09Poppies, nursed in darkness, nourished by dirt,
21:13unearthing themselves in fallow fields and railway sidings,
21:19on roundabouts, verges and no-man's land.
21:23They nod and they nag, reminding us not to forget.
21:29Seeing the veterans front and centre, it was just really, really emotional.
21:36For some, this will probably be the last big celebration that they will be here to see,
21:39and so we hope that we've done them proud.
21:40But the evening is not over yet.
21:45As the sun begins to set, the gathered crowds move around to the south side of the White Tower,
21:46for the official launch of the Tower Remembers Poppy installation.
21:55Introduced by the Governor Andrew Jackson,
21:56with World War II veteran 101-year-old Pat Outram.
22:05At 3pm on the 8th of May 1945, Prime Minister Winston Churchill formally announced the peace in Europe.
22:11And crowds of us went to the palace. It was just wonderful to be able to celebrate.
22:17After years of blackout, where not even the tiniest beam could escape the smallest crux of the world.
22:22And the world was just wonderful to celebrate.
22:26And the world was just wonderful to celebrate.
22:29After years of blackout, where not even the tiniest beam could escape the smallest crack.
22:41The Tower of London joined the city and the country in a moment of triumph, reflection and hope for a peaceful future.
22:52To once again light up the night sky.
22:56As the Tower's 30,000 cascading ceramic poppies, as well as the iconic White Tower itself,
23:16are lit up in scarlet, as a remarkable VE Day commemoration draws to a close.
23:23A huge mix of emotions.
23:28I was really, really worried about the veterans. It was so cold.
23:33But, you know, they're a whole generation.
23:36And today was really about doing them proud, to be honest.
23:39So, I think we did that.
23:41It has just been immense. It's been such an amazing evening to be a part of. Really enjoyable.
23:49This is the moment when the memories of one generation must be passed to the new generation.
23:55And if we succeeded in doing that through the medium of the poppies, we've done something really special.
24:01Coming up, the Raven Master receives some interesting results.
24:11I was hoping it was a male and a female. However, these things are sent to try us.
24:14And test day approaches for a new beef eater.
24:18Now, so, let's run it again.
24:20I just can't get two lines strung together.
24:22I'm nervous about it, because everything rests on that.
24:25It's 7.30am, and the tower is an oasis of calm.
24:41Beef eater recruit Baz Grey is taking the opportunity to practise the words of the tower tour,
24:48that attracts hundreds of visitors a day to the fortress.
24:52And he's roped in some help from fellow yeoman warder Barry Stringer.
24:57Are you OK, mate?
24:58Yeah, here we go.
24:59Every new recruit must pass a test on what's called the story,
25:04in order to become a beef eater at the Tower of London.
25:07It's a relatively modern requirement.
25:09When the yeoman warders were first stationed at the tower in the 1500s,
25:13their duties included guarding high-status prisoners.
25:17But by the mid-1800s, that had all changed.
25:21No longer an active prison or royal palace,
25:24the tower welcomed crowds of paying visitors to marvel at the treasures inside,
25:30with the beef eaters as their tour guides.
25:33These days, the tours are an essential part of their job.
25:38This is the last time, hopefully.
25:40Yep.
25:41So we'll do the whole thing.
25:43Baz's test is tomorrow morning.
25:46We're looking for the tempo.
25:47We're looking for you telling that story.
25:49Got it.
25:50So go from, and now for a story with a happy ending.
25:55And now for a story with a happy ending.
25:58The tour covers nearly ten centuries of tower history.
26:03In the year 1715...
26:07I'll start that again.
26:09...it takes an hour to perform.
26:11I have just said farewell to my husband, who is to die in the morning.
26:17Lady Nifstale made her way steadily out of the tower.
26:21No, so slowly made her way out of the tower.
26:25Yep.
26:26New recruits must learn it precisely.
26:30It's only when you're a bit more experienced,
26:32then you can put it in your own words.
26:34We just need to just make that flow.
26:36Let's run it again.
26:37And we've just got to put all six blocks together.
26:40So that's quite daunting, I think, for any of us.
26:42You can start to flounder a bit.
26:43She then emerged and fell at the feet of the yeoman on duty.
26:48Is it Yeoman Warder then?
26:49Yeoman Warder on duty.
26:50She then emerged...
26:52I just can't get two lines strung together.
26:54And then you've sort of got to walk away, calm down,
26:57come back and go again.
26:59Once he was disguised, Lord Nifstale walked out of the Tower of London.
27:05And as the saying goes, they all lived happily ever after.
27:09That's much better.
27:10The public will love that.
27:12There's a couple of parts of the story that I do stumble on more than others.
27:17It's just repetition, repetition, repetition,
27:20and eventually you get there.
27:22If Baz passes the test tomorrow,
27:25he will be sent straight out for his first public tour.
27:29He might have trekked solo to the South Pole,
27:33but learning tower history is a very different challenge.
27:37You know, it's so daunting,
27:39but the sort of the prize at the end, it changes the whole job.
27:44When you can do the tours, because it's the best part of the job,
27:47but you'll be fine.
27:48Well...
27:49You're going to nail it.
27:50We're going to find out soon enough, aren't we?
27:51We're going to find out.
27:52But right now, it's time for the day's work to begin.
27:58The visitors are at the gates.
28:00Come on in. Welcome to the tower.
28:02Do you want to go into the Jewel House, folks? Come this way.
28:04Torture?
28:05Torture.
28:06Yeah, so, see that round tower? The torch is in there.
28:09Inquisitive guests are only half of it.
28:12A few of the beef eaters have also taken on informal duties
28:16to help out with some of the tower regulars.
28:19No, I'm not feeding you anymore. No.
28:22The squirrels.
28:23Look, you're so naughty. I'm busy.
28:26And they've become very familiar.
28:28Unfortunately, yeah, it's usually when I'm doing tours.
28:31If I'm at Traitor's Gate, he'll jump on my leg
28:35and know that I've got nuts in my pockets.
28:38This one's Squidgy, and the other one's called Scruffy.
28:42So, yeah, so we've got two squirrels here at the Tower of London.
28:46Little characters they are, yeah.
28:48That's it now. They're all gone.
28:50AJ might have a soft spot for Squidgy and Scruffy,
28:54but in the pecking order of the Royal Fortress,
28:57only one creature reigns supreme, the Tower of Ravens.
29:02After a visit from London Zoo
29:04to find out the sex of the two new chicks, Henry and Poe,
29:08Raven Master Barney has received an update.
29:12We've had some news today. Good news.
29:14We finally know what the ravens are.
29:17Contrary to what we initially thought,
29:19we thought we had a male and a female, we have two females.
29:23The careful balance of the Tower's colony
29:25is made up of an equal number of male and female ravens,
29:29all with their own loyalties.
29:31I was hoping it was a male and a female.
29:33However, these things are sent to try us.
29:35But with Henry and Poe revealed as sisters,
29:39it's now five girls to three boys.
29:42I'm used to being surrounded by women.
29:44I have one son and four daughters, so I know how it works.
29:50Until the chicks are let out of their cage in a few days' time,
29:53there's no telling how the older birds will take to them.
29:58But for now, they need to be officially introduced to the public,
30:02even if the names may no longer be quite the perfect fit.
30:06We have a Henry and a Poe.
30:09We have two ladies.
30:10We've sort of manipulated Henry to Henrietta as well,
30:12although the sign still strictly sticks to Henry.
30:15The final step is for us, basically,
30:17to show their names off to the public
30:19by hanging their new signs, their brand-new signs,
30:21on the front of their enclosures for all to see.
30:23Obviously, the military in me, everything's got to be ticketing-boo,
30:30everything's got to be squared off and in straight lines.
30:33It looks OK.
30:36Great. Job done.
30:39The chicks' final initiation will be meeting the other ravens.
30:44Everything so far has gone according to plan,
30:47and they've been really good.
30:49Totally unpredictable.
30:50We don't know what's going to happen.
30:51It's taking one day at a time.
30:53Are they going to take to the public?
30:55Are they going to take to the other ravens?
30:57Are they going to get lost?
30:59You know, there's so many questions.
31:02As Henry and Poe get acquainted with the public,
31:05every corner of the 12-acre tower complex
31:08is filling up with eager crowds.
31:13And they have a treat in store for them.
31:15Today is May the 8th,
31:17the official National Day of Remembrance,
31:20to mark Victory Day,
31:22the end of the Second World War in Europe.
31:24Chief Yeoman Warder Rob Fuller
31:26is preparing for a special event
31:28taking place in just a few minutes.
31:30Clear this area, please.
31:32Very shortly,
31:34we'll be having a small little parade around here.
31:36Can I see you clean?
31:38This area free?
31:42Well, it's a national two-minute silence
31:45to remember all those who gave their lives
31:49during the Second World War.
31:51And it's kind of important to us today,
31:54especially with the poppies here,
31:55to make sure that we orchestrate it in a fashion
31:59that's befitting the occasion.
32:01The two-minute silence at the Royal Fortress
32:04will be one of many taking place all over the country at midday.
32:09Rob has gathered a small guard of Yeoman Warders
32:11and Tower staff to take part.
32:13We'll all be paraded in front of these wonderful poppies.
32:17And as the parade ground clock chimes 12,
32:20you'll hear a few bing-bongs before.
32:23That's our two-minute silence, okay?
32:25Right, guys, here we go.
32:27Put your badge on.
32:28Put your badge on.
32:29Victory in Europe Day.
32:31As the clock nears 12,
32:33more and more beefeaters arrive to join the guard.
32:36Guys, all shoot around here.
32:39Nice and tight together, yeah?
32:40Can we have the vertically tellers in the middle?
32:44Along with the escort from the King's Gurkhas Regiment
32:47and the Tower Governor and Deputy Governor.
32:50Come on, buddy, shoot!
32:54As the clock strikes,
32:59the swelling crowds gather for the two-minute silence.
33:06And just three miles across London in Westminster Abbey,
33:10King Charles and the royal family stand guard
33:13over the tomb of the unknown warrior.
33:16And all across the nation,
33:18crowds gather to pay their respects.
33:21You're on, buddy.
33:36Turning right.
33:37Dismiss!
33:42There's an unexpected surprise from a member of the public.
33:46Right, folks.
33:47Bit of impromptu.
33:49This lovely lady was actually born on VE Day.
33:54How fantastic is that?
34:00So the lady's name is Victory.
34:02She's come all the way from Australia.
34:04I wanted to have a photo taken with one of the beefeaters,
34:08and I got more than I bargained for.
34:10Proud to be an eight-year-old on VE Day.
34:17It was just wonderful.
34:19And how lovely that we had Victory there,
34:22who was born all those years ago on VE Day.
34:26And it's a timely reminder for all of us,
34:29and I'm glad we got to share that
34:31with the rest of the public here today and the nation.
34:34Coming up, Henry and Poe are let loose on the fortress.
34:40This is the raven master.
34:42Be aware that our two newbies are now out on the ground.
34:47And Baz takes his test to become a tower beefeater.
34:50I want to nail it 100%.
34:52Whether I do or not, well, we'll find out.
34:55It's one hour until the tower opens.
35:04In his flat in the old hospital block,
35:06former Marine Baz Grey is preparing for the final challenge
35:11on his journey to becoming a yeoman warder.
35:14He's being tested on The Story,
35:16an hour-long tour of the Royal Palace.
35:19So the governor of the Tower of London
35:21is going to stand in front of me with my story,
35:25and I'm going to deliver a tour as if, you know,
35:27there's 100 people in front of me.
35:29Only the tower governor is present at the final test,
35:32which will take place this morning.
35:34All candidates must pass
35:36in order to become an official yeoman warder
35:38at the Tower of London.
35:40For me, this is the most important part of training.
35:43Being in a position now to be allocated my house
35:46and to be able to get my family down here,
35:48for them to become part of this journey.
35:50It's your whole future in this career in the Tower of London.
35:55If Baz passes, he won't have long to wait
35:59until his first tour with a crowd.
36:02You know, my brasses are polished, my shoes are polished,
36:05it's a clean uniform today.
36:07I want to nail it 100%, whether I do or not.
36:10Well, we'll find out.
36:13As Baz's test with the governor gets underway,
36:19the tower gates swing open.
36:22It looks like it's going to be a busy one.
36:24Are you giving information about the free tour?
36:25Yes.
36:26And we're through the archway by the bell tower.
36:29Okay.
36:30This one's at 10.
36:31Which might make Raven Master Barney Chandler's morning
36:33a little trickier.
36:35Big day today.
36:36Very big day for myself and the Raven team
36:38and our two newbies, Henry and Poe.
36:40We're going to let them out for the first time today,
36:42out properly.
36:43Which, as you can imagine,
36:44does offer up one or two potential problems.
36:47And there is a chance they could go wandering off somewhere.
36:49We don't know how they're going to react
36:53and work with the other Ravens
36:55and we don't know how they're going to be with the public.
36:57Okay, so those are my three major concerns.
37:00Henry and Poe are now residents of the Tower of London
37:04and they'll have to get used to thousands of people
37:07sharing their home every day.
37:09Morning, chaps.
37:11Oops, sorry.
37:12It's ladies now, isn't it?
37:13You ready for this?
37:14No answer.
37:16They're probably as nervous as I am.
37:18We're going to let them out with the others.
37:20I'm going to start off with the end cages first
37:22and then I'll work down and I will let these two out last.
37:25So, ideally, they'll stay in this area.
37:28However, I suspect that that won't be the case.
37:35Ready, boys?
37:36Here we go.
37:38Good lads.
37:39That's Jubilee.
37:40He's the old hand.
37:41He's our oldest boy.
37:42Now we've got Poppy and Chaos.
37:44Go on, girl.
37:46There she goes.
37:47And now our two newbies.
37:50You ready, ladies?
37:51Shall we do this?
37:53Here we go.
37:54Henry, she's the larger, or Henrietta, as we should say now.
37:58And then Poe tends to follow Henry.
38:01Okay.
38:02And straight away they're looking round the corner.
38:06Hey.
38:07Don't want you here.
38:08There you go.
38:09What you got?
38:11Bit of wood.
38:13Barney ushers them back behind the enclosure
38:16to the safety of the south lawn,
38:18where the other ravens are busy patrolling their territory.
38:21If we look up there now,
38:22we can see Poe has walked up to Poppy and Chaos,
38:26and they're just testing the ground.
38:28The tower colony can be a tough crowd to crack.
38:32She's probably telling the two youngsters,
38:34I'm the boss.
38:35Keep your distance.
38:37Henry's just gone up to Edgar.
38:39So that's a good sign.
38:41Gone right up to him.
38:42So it's all a case of walking around introducing themselves at the minute.
38:46But Henry and Poe have more than the other ravens to worry about.
38:52Watch the cat chasing one of the ravens there.
38:56Now I'm going to chase the cat.
38:58Nixie, what are you doing, mate?
39:00Do one.
39:01Come on.
39:02Do one.
39:03Go.
39:04Go.
39:05Nixie likes to practice creeping up on them.
39:07I get this feeling though,
39:08if she ever managed to get one,
39:10she'd come off second best.
39:12Now the chicks just have to get through the rest of the day
39:15without getting into any trouble.
39:18Our two newbies, Henry and Poe, are now out on the ground.
39:22If they're going anywhere they shouldn't be,
39:24can you please let myself or any member of the ravens team know?
39:27It'll be a long day, but fingers crossed.
39:31So far, so good.
39:36Someone else inside the fortress
39:38who's been keeping their fingers crossed
39:40is trainee beefeater Baz Grey.
39:43His final test, a secret exam,
39:46reciting the tower tour for Governor Andrew Jackson,
39:49has just finished.
39:51The story test is a really big moment.
39:54If you can't pass the test,
39:56you can't stay at the Tower of London.
39:58Baz has spent months trying to learn the tour by heart,
40:02but has it been enough?
40:04And I'm really pleased to say that he passed it with flying colours.
40:11Yeah, fantastic news this morning,
40:13and it's just a huge weight off, a massive relief.
40:16And he has the reward of doing the first tour of the day today.
40:20Have a good one.
40:21Have a good one.
40:22Thank you. Appreciate that.
40:23See you later, guys.
40:24Yeah, very excited.
40:25Hopefully these lot are as well.
40:27OK, ladies and gentlemen, are we ready?
40:31Please come around. Keep coming round, guys.
40:34And it looks like it's going to be a big one.
40:37Good morning.
40:38Good morning.
40:39So, welcome to His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress,
40:43the Tower of London.
40:44I will point out some historic buildings
40:47and tell you stories about people
40:49who have literally changed the world.
40:52Yeoman warder Barry Stringer
40:54has come down to watch his colleague Baz's premiere.
40:58Innumerable traitors passed under this archway
41:01where they were met by the Yeoman jailer
41:03and an escort of Yeoman warders
41:05to await whatever fate had in store for them.
41:08As he takes his rapt audience
41:10through a thousand years of remarkable history.
41:13Behind me is William the Conqueror's Norman Keep,
41:17known as the White Tower.
41:19All the while keeping everyone entertained
41:21with that familiar beef-eater charm.
41:24The basement had a far more sinister use
41:27as a dungeon and torture chamber.
41:30So, to become a Yeoman warder,
41:37we have to learn this thing called the Yeoman Warder Tour.
41:40I don't know if you've ever seen it.
41:42And then you get a test.
41:45I had that test this morning!
41:47So, it's a fantastic honour
41:51to have this particular audience
41:53to be part of my journey.
41:55You have been wonderful.
41:57Thank you so much for your attention and time.
42:05There he is. There's another head.
42:07We got him all.
42:08And some of the Yeoman body have come by
42:10to celebrate Baz's towering achievements.
42:13Amazing.
42:14And that's one of the biggest tours I've seen in six years.
42:19I couldn't have gone any better, I don't think.
42:21It was fantastic.
42:22And I really enjoyed it.
42:24It was absolutely superb.
42:25So, what a thrill and an honour.
42:31With his first public tour complete,
42:34Baz now officially becomes part of the Yeoman body
42:37and tower history.
42:39As he and his colleagues usher the Royal Fortress
42:44into the next chapter of its remarkable story.
42:52New tomorrow at 8.
42:53Explore chalet after chalet of delicious delicacies
42:56with Tom Reid Wilson
42:58at the world's biggest Christmas market.
43:00Next, chilling drama
43:02as a cloud descends on a comedian's life
43:05in a brand new play for today.
43:07Alan Davis answers a knock at the door after the break.
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