Feu de joie

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A feu de joie (French: "fire of joy") is a gun salute, described as a "running fire of guns", on occasions of public rejoicing of nation and/or ruling dynasty. It can also mean a bonfire lit in a public place as a token of joy.

During the 18th and 19th centuries it was used to mark a military victory or birthday.

[edit] Historical precedents

A spectacular feu de joie ran up and down double lines of infantrymen at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania on 6 May 1778 to celebrate America's alliance with France. It is re-enacted yearly.

Queen Victoria's proclamation as Empress of India in Delhi on 1 January 1877 was followed with a feu de joie described by Marshal Lord Roberts: "a salute of one hundred and one salvos of artillery was fired, with a feu-de-joie from the long line of troops. This was too much for the elephants. As the feu-de-joie approached nearer and nearer to them, they became more and more alarmed, and at last scampered off, dispersing the crowd in every direction."

A Captain Eben Williams witnessed a feu de joie during summer 1782 at West Point, to celebrate the birth of the Dauphin of France.

[edit] Recent example

As part of Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday celebrations, a spectacular feu-de-joie occurred on the Forecourt of Buckingham Palace on 17 June 2006 following the RAF flypast after Trooping the Colour. A cascade of rounds was fired by the Old Guard, the New Guard and six Half Companies of Street-Liners in the Forecourt of the Palace. The cascades of blank gunshots were, most unusually, interspersed with the National Anthem, God Save the Queen.

Although there was a feu-de-joie outside the Commonwealth buildings in Berlin, 1953 to mark her coronation, this was the first time in the Queen's reign that a feu de joie has been given in her presence.

After the feu de joie the troops on the Forecourt laid down their weapons, removed their headgear and gave "Three Cheers for Her Majesty The Queen".