The Spanish Army Museum hosts the Fast Painting Contest and the Exhibition of Military Miniatures of the 53rd Army Prizes

 

The events were held at the Alcázar of Toledo (Picture: Iván Jiménez/DECET)

The COS with a participant in the Miniatures competition (Picture: Iván Jiménez/DECET)

Children participating in the Fast Painting Contest (Picture: Iván Jiménez/DECET)

The Fast Painting Contest and the 30th Exhibition of Military Miniatures of the 53rd edition of the Army Prizes have been held on 9th and 10th May in the Army Museum at the Alcázar of Toledo.

In the Fast Painting Contest, held on Saturday 9th May, the first prize went to “El Alcázar desde el Río” (The Alcázar from the river), by Gonzalo Prieto; the second prize, to “Ciudad Imperial” (Imperial City), by José M. Alonso. The youth prize was for “Mi Alcázar” (My Alcázar), by Javier Cuervo, and the children’s prize, for “Colores en el Alcázar” (Colours at the Alcázar), by Nicolás Díaz.

At the Exhibition of Military Miniatures, the winner of the prize for Best Diorama or Sketch was “Una limosna para un viejo soldado” (Alms for an old soldier), by Antonio Zapatero and Gustavo Gil. In the Figures category, the winner was “Abanderado de las Reales Guardias de Infantería Española. Siglo XVI” (Flag bearer of the Royal Guards of the Spanish Infantry. XVI century), by Gustavo Gil and Miguel A. Pérez. In the Materiel category, the winner was “Helicóptero CH-47 Chinook” (CH-47 Chinook Helicopter), by Daniel Gómez, Luis Mira, Víctor Sánchez and Allen J. Vallejo. In the “standard” categories, the prize to Dioramas or Sketches went to “Camino de Levante” (On the way to the Levant), by José E. Fernández. In Figures, it went to “Soldado carlista de Infantería durante la Primera Guerra Carlista” (Carlist infantry soldier during the First Carlist War), by César de la Peña. In Materiel, the winner was Panzer 1 de Mando (Command Panzer 1); and in Miscellaneous, “Fuego Griego” (Greek Fire), by Víctor Acebal.

The 30th Exhibition of Military Miniatures can be visited at the Army Museum until 28th June. Both contests were introduced by Javier Ruiz, journalist at the radio station Onda Cero Castilla-La Mancha.

Changing of the Guard at the Alcázar

On the other hand, on Sunday 10th May was held the third edition of the Changing of the Guard at the Alcázar of Toledo by the King’s First Immemorial Infantry Regiment. It was presided over by General Fernando J. López del Pozo, advisor to the COS, who was accompanied by General Juan Valentín-Gamazo, director of the Army Museum, and Colonel Jesús Arenas, chief of the King’s First Immemorial Infantry Regiment. Despite the high temperatures, the Changing of the Guard was a success in terms of attendance, which exceeded that of previous years.

The Parade Squad was wearing the Grenadiers’ uniform and Sappers’ tools; the Army Band, uniform, baton, drums and fifes of the time of Charles III; the outgoing Guard, the white uniform of the fusiliers of the España Regiment; and the incoming Guard, the blue uniform of the fusiliers of the King’s Regiment. For their part, the Military Music Corps flaunted the 1808 infantry uniform. The weapon born by the members of the Guards was the 1757 muzzle-loading flintlock musket.