Shortly after Elizabeth was crowned as Queen, she established a day each year from then on, stating that if any of these young women who had performed such noble service, would like to come and be thanked, she would meet them at Westminster Abbey. These 40-50 older women we saw walking in were some of the very few still living. The Queen had been honoring the service of these women every year for over 50 years.

In the very early part of this century, my wife Joyce and I were on one of our many trips to the United Kingdom leading a student tour. One early morning, we had spent about an hour at Westminster Abbey with about 25 recently graduated high school seniors. We were just about to leave the Abbey when someone found out “the Queen is coming.” And so we decided that we should stay and see her. The Abbey officials eventually herded us outside and put-up small barriers from the street right up to the entrance. We were quite excited to be right in the very front. From this vantage point, we waited and waited probably an hour or so, and nothing happened. Finally I said to Joyce, “Let’s go! I wouldn’t wait this long to meet the Apostle Paul.”

No sooner had those crazy words left my mouth when I looked up and suddenly there were sharp shooters on the tops of four different surrounding buildings. And then I heard the sirens and a motorcade of motorcycles and large cars pulled up. Just before this happened about 40-50 older women were ushered by right in front of us and led into the Abbey. Some walked very slowly, some limped, all had gray hair, and I thought none were under 80-years-old.

I quickly asked someone standing on the other side of the barrier, who looked like a guard, who were these women? He told me they were probably some of the last ones still alive known as “The Maidens of Dunkirk.” And he also explained that when the infamous Dunkirk evacuation from France took place in 1940, when over 300,000 soldiers were evacuated across the English Channel, many of them were sick and wounded and close to death. The British Government was overwhelmed in trying to care for all these soldiers; they sent out an urgent request for young women in their 20s and 30s to come and help nurse and care for these suffering soldiers. Thousands responded and many lives were saved!

Shortly after Elizabeth was crowned as Queen, she established a day each year from then on, stating that if any of these young women who had performed such noble service, would like to come and be thanked, she would meet them at Westminster Abbey. These 40-50 older women we saw walking in were some of the very few still living. The Queen had been honoring the service of these women every year for over 50 years. And this special commemoration just happened to take place on the morning we were there!

And as I turned, suddenly I saw the Queen getting out of her car and walking right in front of us; maybe 10 feet away. And as she walked in she glanced up and our eyes met for just a second. That second is frozen in time for me. Not only was I staring face to face with one of the most famous persons in the world, but she was doing something so meaningful and thoughtful. No wonder the whole nation loved her, as they are showing now in mourning her loss.

Of course, the tears appeared in many of our eyes at that moment, including a number of those who had just graduated from high school, boys and girls from Memphis, and Greenwood and Hattiesburg, Miss.

There is much evidence coming to light right now that Elizabeth was a genuine Christian. She certainly made a group of Americans believe she was that morning.

Wayne Herring is a retired Minister in the Presbyterian Church in America living in Raymond, Miss.