The Port Sergeant
Whenever His Excellency the Governor hosts an official banquet for honoured guests, the Port Sergeant will march into the dining hall in slow time preceded by a single drummer. He reports to the Governor:
“Your Excellency, the fortress is secure and all’s well!”
The keys are handed over to the Governor who places them on a cushion in front of him for the remainder of the night. Before retiring, the Port Sergeant salutes His Excellency the Governor and bids “Good night Sir” To which His Excellency replies “Good night Port Sergeant, carry on”. The Port Sergeant and the drummer then march out in quick time.
Since the capture of the Rock in 1704, the keys of Gibraltar, which opened the sea and land gates of the Fortress, have symbolised the possession of the Fortress by Great Britain. The keys have come to be regarded as the seal of office of His Excellency the Governor of Gibraltar and as such are handed over from one Governor to the next.
During the Great Siege (1779-1783), the Governor, General George Agustus Elliot, the first Baron Heathfield, constantly wore the keys at his belt except when he handed them to a sergeant who held the appointment of Port Sergeant. As the sunset gun was fired, the Port Sergeant, accompanied by an armed escort, would proceed to lock the gates to the fortress for the night. The keys would then be returned to the Governor for safekeeping. Legend has it that General Elliot would sleep with the keys to the fortress under his pillow. The following morning, the Port Sergeant would again collect the keys, re-open the gates and hand back the keys to the Governor.
After peace was restored in 1783, drums and fifes accompanied the Port Sergeant and his escort, warning aliens to leave the Rock before the gates were closed for the night. This procedure was carried out each evening without interruption for approximately 140 years.
However, it was discontinued some time after the First World War. The event was then revived in 1933 and it is still carried out today in the format known as the Ceremony of the Keys. This ceremony is held several times a year at the Grand Casemates Square. There, the re-enacting of the firing of the sunset gun, the posting of an Outpost Platoon and the locking up of the gates is carried out ceremonially in the presence of His Excellency the Governor for the benefit of all visitors to the Rock.
Since 1978 and at the instigation of the then Governor, General Sir William Jackson, the post of Port Sergeant has always been held by a member of The Royal Gibraltar Regiment. The Port Sergeant is always in attendance to His Excellency the Governor when he is carrying out an official ceremonial function. The appointment of Port Sergeant is carried out by regular Senior Non Commissioned Officers in the Regiment between the ranks of Sergeant and Warrant Officer Class two.
GIBRALTAR REGIMENT PORT SERGEANTS
1978-1982 WO2 J H Sanders
1982-1985 WO2 L Llamas
1985-1989 WO2 A M Borg
1989-1993 CSgt J Moss
1993-1996 CSgt E Asquez
1996-1998 CSgt S Victory
1998-1999 CSgt J K Fortunato
ROYAL GIBRALTAR REGIMENT PORT SERGEANTS
1999-2000 CSgt A I Berllaque
2000-2002 WO2 D L Davis
2002-2003 WO2 G Fitzgerald
2003- CSgt F Mauro
Whenever His Excellency the Governor hosts an official banquet for honoured guests, the Port Sergeant will march into the dining hall in slow time preceded by a single drummer. He reports to the Governor:
“Your Excellency, the fortress is secure and all’s well!”
The keys are handed over to the Governor who places them on a cushion in front of him for the remainder of the night. Before retiring, the Port Sergeant salutes His Excellency the Governor and bids “Good night Sir” To which His Excellency replies “Good night Port Sergeant, carry on”. The Port Sergeant and the drummer then march out in quick time.
Since the capture of the Rock in 1704, the keys of Gibraltar, which opened the sea and land gates of the Fortress, have symbolised the possession of the Fortress by Great Britain. The keys have come to be regarded as the seal of office of His Excellency the Governor of Gibraltar and as such are handed over from one Governor to the next.
During the Great Siege (1779-1783), the Governor, General George Agustus Elliot, the first Baron Heathfield, constantly wore the keys at his belt except when he handed them to a sergeant who held the appointment of Port Sergeant. As the sunset gun was fired, the Port Sergeant, accompanied by an armed escort, would proceed to lock the gates to the fortress for the night. The keys would then be returned to the Governor for safekeeping. Legend has it that General Elliot would sleep with the keys to the fortress under his pillow. The following morning, the Port Sergeant would again collect the keys, re-open the gates and hand back the keys to the Governor.After peace was restored in 1783, drums and fifes accompanied the Port Sergeant and his escort, warning aliens to leave the Rock before the gates were closed for the night. This procedure was carried out each evening without interruption for approximately 140 years.
However, it was discontinued some time after the First World War. The event was then revived in 1933 and it is still carried out today in the format known as the Ceremony of the Keys. This ceremony is held several times a year at the Grand Casemates Square. There, the re-enacting of the firing of the sunset gun, the posting of an Outpost Platoon and the locking up of the gates is carried out ceremonially in the presence of His Excellency the Governor for the benefit of all visitors to the Rock. Since 1978 and at the instigation of the then Governor, General Sir William Jackson, the post of Port Sergeant has always been held by a member of The Royal Gibraltar Regiment. The Port Sergeant is always in attendance to His Excellency the Governor when he is carrying out an official ceremonial function. The appointment of Port Sergeant is carried out by regular Senior Non Commissioned Officers in the Regiment between the ranks of Sergeant and Warrant Officer Class two.
GIBRALTAR REGIMENT PORT SERGEANTS
1978-1982 WO2 J H Sanders
1982-1985 WO2 L Llamas
1985-1989 WO2 A M Borg
1989-1993 CSgt J Moss
1993-1996 CSgt E Asquez
1996-1998 CSgt S Victory
1998-1999 CSgt J K Fortunato
ROYAL GIBRALTAR REGIMENT PORT SERGEANTS
1999-2000 CSgt A I Berllaque
2000-2002 WO2 D L Davis
2002-2003 WO2 G Fitzgerald
2003- CSgt F Mauro
