Riverton’s Lance Corporal Sarah Menzies’s first overseas deployment will be an out-of-the-ordinary one for a military medic when she marches in front of thousands of royal fans later this week.

Menzies will be part of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) marching contingent taking part in the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III in central London on Saturday (London time).

The 21-member contingent is part of a group of around 400 military personnel from up to 35 Commonwealth countries marching alongside their 6000 British counterparts in front of tens of thousands of royal supporters, in one of the biggest single events of the year.

Going from the quiet Southland streets of Riverton to London is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Menzies and not something she imagined would be her first overseas deployment in her New Zealand Army uniform.

“I actually didn’t know I was being nominated for this until I got an acceptance email. It was all a massive surprise,” she said. 

“This is by far the most significant thing I have done in my career besides saving people’s lives.”

While it may be her first deployment, she isn’t the first of her whānau to be in proximity to His Majesty King Charles.

“My grandad met the King when he came to New Zealand. He took him for a train ride around Dunedin, so he thinks this will be very special.”

Menzies said she joined the NZDF because she wanted to do something within the health sector but didn’t want to go to university straight out of high school. 

“So I joined as a medic and haven’t looked back - absolutely the best career choice I could’ve made.”