Southend salutes the Vikings

Thousands of people lined the High Street in Southend today and gave a tremendous welcome to the soldiers of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment.

The Battalion was also granted the Freedom of the Borough and so, preceded by the Minden Band, the 180 soldiers marched with fixed bayonets and colours flying.

The Battalion has recently returned from a tough six-month tour of Afghanistan and their visit enabled the people of Southend to show their support for the guys and their appreciation for the work that they had done out there. During this latest deployment to Afghanistan, the Battalion sadly lost five soldiers killed fighting the Taliban: L/Cpl Scott Hardy, Pte James Grigg, Capt Martin Driver, Pte Robert Hayes and L/Cpl Adam Drane.

The parade through Southend was one of a series of similar events being held in towns across East Anglia to mark the return of the Battalion from the frontline in Afghanistan.

Well done, the Vikings!

Well done, Southend!

Click here to see more photos from the Southend parade.

The Echo: Thousands support Royal Anglian parade

Flickr: Royal Anglian Regiment - Southend

Welsh Guards salute Victory Day in Moscow

For the first time since the end of WW2 British soldiers have taken part in the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow's Red Square.

76 Guardsmen from 2 Company The 1st Battalion The Welsh Guards joined 10,500 Russian soldiers and contingents from the US, France and Poland in the parade to mark the 65th anniversary of the defeat of Germany in 1945.

The sacrifices made by the Soviet people in WW2 were staggering - almost 25 million citizens were killed (including 10 million military personnel). It is not surprising, then, that the annual Victory Day parade still has an immense emotional hold on the Russian people.

Guardsman Ian Mundy said: "There is a sense of pride to be in this massive parade on Red Square. It seems that everyone is interested in us as well and I'm proud to be a part of that.'

Major Dai Bevan, Company Commander, commented: “This (experience) typifies the polarity of our job as Guardsmen and as infantry soldiers – last year we were in Afghanistan and now we’re marching in Red Square as part of his incredible occasion.

The Guardsmen's presence in the parade not only recognised that Britain and the Soviet Union fought together to defeat Germany in 1945 but also reflected the current wish of the Russian leadership to improve relations with NATO.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said: “At this solemn parade, the soldiers of Russia, the states of the CIS and the anti-Hitler coalition march together. Only together can we counter present-day threats. Only as good neighbours can we resolve problems of global security in order that the ideals of justice and good triumph in all of the world and that the lives of future generations will be free and happy.”


WalesOnline: Welsh Guards march in Moscow parade
BBC: British troops mark VE Day with Red Square parade
MoD: British soldiers march on Red Square in historic parade

2 Mercian cheered through Newark

Thousands of local people lined the streets of Newark, Nottinghamshire to cheer the proud members of 2nd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment when they marched through the town yesterday.


Yesterday's Freedom Parade followed on from equally popular marches on Friday in Glossop and Monday in Ripley.

Their CO Lieutenant Colonel Colin Marks, said: "Our links with Nottinghamshire go back for over 200 years and they are more important to us now than they have ever been. We continue to enjoy tremendous support from the local communities. These marches are an opportunity for us to say thank you to our families, friends and everyone back at home."

Today 2 Mercian are marching through Mansfield. The boys will be getting tired 'cos after that they still have four more parades to go:
March 18th - Ashbourne Parade
March 19th - Freedom of Matlock Parade
March 19th - Freedom of Chesterfield Parade
March 20th - Homecoming Parade through Redditch


Well done, 2 Mercian! Well done Newark!

The Sun: Thousands salute their heroes
BBC: Troops march through Ripley town centre in Derbyshire
Flickr: 12th March 2010 Parade through Glossop, Derbyshire, England

1YORKS parade through their home towns

The 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment is in the process of holding a series of homecoming/freedom parades in six Yorkshire cities - York, Harrogate, Hull, Beverly, Leeds and Rotherham - to mark their return from operations in Iraq (OP TELIC 13) and Kosovo (Operation OCULUS).

Members of the Battalion were amongst the last combat troops to withdraw from southern Iraq (Operation TELIC 13). Individuals were also present who recently served in Afghanistan and had received their campaign medals at last week's Medals Parade at their base in Germany.

Crowds cheered the guys yesterday as they marched through York and Harrogate. Tomorrow the residents of Hull and Beverly will have their chance to show their support for their local lads and on Friday it will be Leeds' turn. The ceremonials will be rounded off on 3rd August when the Regiment will receive the Freedom of the Borough of Rotherham.

Well done, 1YORKS!

BBC: Parades mark soldiers' homecoming
The Yorkshire Regiment: Parades and Ceremonials

Private Andrew Troup honoured for his courage

Private Andrew Troup of 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment has been recognised in front of his battalion, friends and family for his courage during a battle with the Taliban in Afghanistan, courage for which he received a Mention in Despatches.

Pte Troup was on patrol with soldiers from the Afghan National Army when they came under attack from the Taliban. Some of the inexperienced Afghan soldiers fled to cover. His MiD citation then reads: "Despite heavy fire Private Troup broke cover, sprinting to where they had gone to ground. Through strength of character, a powerful and courageous display of determination - brought them back into the fight. This single act of bravery allowed the Afghans to regain composure and have the will to fight."

Private Troup said of the parade at the Battalion's base in Germany: "It's great getting my Iraq medal today and having my MiD read out and recognised in front of the Battalion."

Well done, Andrew!

MoD: 1 YORKS soldier honoured for bravery in Afghanistan
The Yorkshire Regiment: 1st Battalion Medal Parade

Thousands cheer the Tigers in Canterbury

Soldiers back from Afghanistan and Iraq were welcomed home on Saturday by a cheering crowd of thousands as they marched through the streets of Canterbury.

More than 200 troops from the 1st Battalion the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment (1 PWRR) took part in the eighth and final march in a series of homecoming parades they have taken part in over the past week.

Led by the Regiment's red-coated Kohima Band, the soldiers marched through the cathedral city's cobbled streets as crowds cheered and waved banners and Union flags to welcome them home.

Soldiers from 1 PWRR, known as the Tigers, were the last to serve in Basra having returned at the end of May, whilst another contingent returned from Afghanistan earlier this year.

Private Colin White and Private Daniel Hudson, both 19 and from Canterbury, received operational tour medals in recognition of services in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Well done, the Tigers! Well done, Canterbury!

The Telegraph: Soldiers back from Afghanistan and Iraq cheered by thousands

Peterborough to hold Freedom of the City parade

150 soldiers from 158 (Royal Anglian) Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps (Volunteers), will march through Peterborough city centre at a parade on Saturday, July 25th.

As it will be a Freedom of the City parade, the TA troops will march with fixed bayonets to the sound of drums from the

Band of the Royal Anglian Regiment.

The Regiment was awarded the Freedom of the City of Peterborough in March 2001.

Peterborough Telegraph: Volunteer soldiers to march through Peterborough

Northampton honours its soldiers

Northampton will be hosting a military parade on July 25th to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Talavera. The anniversary is significant for the county as the battle was the Northamptonshire Regiment's most famous victory. The town is using the occasion to honour past and present soldiers from the county. About 100 veterans are expected to take part in the parade together with soldiers from 'C' Company, 2 Royal Anglians (the

successors of the now disbanded Northamptonshire Regiment), who served last year in Iraq.

The day will also sadly witness the disbanding of the Northamptonshire regiment Association.

Maj (Retd) Bill O'Driscoll, Royal Anglian Regiment Association area secretary, said: "This is a timely reminder to the people of Northampton and Northamptonshire of what the Regiment has done for them in the past and what it is going to do for them in the future."

A historic day for the town and for the county.

Northampton Chronicle: Military parade through Northampton

Royal Anglian Regiment: Armed Forces Day, Southend

Southend was privileged to have CGS General Sir Richard Dannatt take the salute at the parade which formed the highlight of the town's celebrations for Armed Forces Day.

On parade were soldiers from the 3rd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, members of other TA units and representatives from local veterans' groups. A military band led the march along Southend High Street to the (somewhat cramped) open area at the top of Pier Hill where the General took the salute before he was whisked off to some other AFD event at Chatham or somewhere.

Despite the lack of publicity, there was a good turn out by local residents who applauded and cheered the guys to show their support and their appreciation for the work they were doing.

The day ended with a red, white and blue balloon race which raised money for "Smiles across the Miles", a local group of volunteers who send parcels of goodies out to the guys 'n gals serving on the frontline.

AquilaVictrix: Photos of the Armed Forces Day parade at Southend
Southend Standard: A day to show how really proud we are of our armed forces

4 Mercian's 150th anniversary parade in Kidderminster

To mark the 150th anniversary of Kidderminster's association with the Army, the 4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment will be marching through the Worcestershire town on Saturday.
4 Mercian is a Territorial Army Battalion and can trace its roots back to the volunteer militias of 1859. Volunteers from Kidderminster have
served with distinction in the British Army in both World Wars and more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is appropriate therefore that it will be the TA who will make up the parade to commemorate the anniversary on Saturday.
A proud day for 4 Mercian! A proud day for Kidderminster!

Express and Star: Army’s 150th to be marked in town

Basildon welcomes the Royal Anglians

A squad of squaddies from the Royal Anglian Regiment formed the centrepiece of today's St Georges Day parade in Basildon. Waving England flags, hundreds of patriotic townspeople cheered the guys as they marched through the town centre to a short welcoming ceremony in the Town Square.

Basildon Council has recently given £5,000 to the Regiment, towards the construction of a memorial to honour their war dead at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford.

Royal Anglian Regiment: 2nd Battalion, The Poachers, Return - Luton

The people of Luton saluted the guys from 2 Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment when they paraded through the centre of their town yesterday.

The Battalion exercised its right to march with fixed bayonets and colours flying having been given the Freedom of the Borough back in 1997.

The Battalion has recently returned from service in Iraq and this welcome home parade was one of several being held during the week in towns in the Battalion's recruiting area. At the parade the commanding officer remarked that the Regiment has strong roots in its home counties and has one of the best recruitment rates in the whole British Army.

The people of Luton made it clear how very proud they were of "their boys" and silenced the ill-mannered barracking coming from our muslim brothers.

And the rain held off until the guys had marched off for a well-earned beer at a nearby hotel.

Well done, The Poachers! Well done, Luton!

For more pictures, click here

KAPE: 3 Mercian Parades in Staffordshire

3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment will be holding a KAPE (Keeping the Army in the Public Eye) tour across Staffordshire next week.

Freedom Parades will be held:
16th February - Newcastle-Under-Lyme
18th February - Sandwell (West Bromwich)
19th February - Burton-upon-Trent
21st February - Stoke-on-Trent

A parade and civic reception will be held at each venue and a regimental information team will be on hand to chat to residents about Army life and show them weapons and military equipment. A Warrior tank will also be on display.
The Mercian Regiment, formerly The Staffordshire Regiment has a distinguished history going back some 300 years.
The 3rd Battalion, known as the Staffords, are sure to get a hearty welcome from the local Staffordshire people.

Army.MoD: 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Staffords)

Royal Anglian Regiment: The Poachers to parade in Watford

2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment (The Poachers) will be parading through Watford on March 11th to celebrate the success of their recent deployment in Iraq.
The Poachers have recently return from their second tour of duty during which time they played a key role in the Military Transition Teams (MiTTs) which have been training local Iraqi forces and providing them with the skills necessary to maintain
their own security once British troops finally withdraw from the country.
The Battalion, currently at its base in Celle, Germany will be visiting the UK for a number of Homecoming Parades during March - Stamford (9th Mar), Luton (10th Mar), Watford (11th Mar) and Lincoln (12th Mar).

There's sure to be a big turn out in these towns to congratulate the guys on a job well done and to welcome all of them back home this time.

Watford Observer: Soldiers will parade in Watford town centre
MoD: Royal Anglian Regiment - Homecoming Parades

AFC Harrogate: Passing-Out Parade

Army Foundation College Harrogate celebrated its 10th anniversary on August 14th with a passing-out parade for 600 of its 1300 students. The number of junior soldiers graduating from the College indicates how successful the AFC has been both at attracting high calibre students and in providing the level of military and vocational training needed by today's Army.

Junior Soldier Aaron Ellison-Jones said: "I felt brilliant today. I would recommend the Army Foundation College to anybody. There was nothing that concerned me at all about the training. I want to make a career in the Army and stay in as long as possible."

Congratulations to all the graduates!

Link> MoD: Harrogate parade sees 600 new soldiers join Army ranks
Link> The Sun: Passing-out Pride
also

Link> AV: AFC Harrodate 10th Birthday Parade
Link> Army.MoD: AFC Harrogate

AFC Harrogate 10th Birthday Parade

Over a thousand Junior Soldiers accompanied by their staff and two military bands paraded through the streets of Harrogate yesterday in celebration of the 10th birthday of the Army Foundation College (AFC). The salute was taken from a dais outside the Town Hall by the Mayor of Harrogate, Councillor John Fox, and the senior Army officer for Yorkshire and the North East, Brigadier David Maddan.

Built on the site of the old Army Apprentice College on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, AFC Harrogate was opened in 1998. The flagship training centre was built under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) scheme at a cost of over £80 million. Its hi-tech, high quality residential environment represents the new way forward for training Britain's troops, housing around 1500 students and 420 staff in an 18 building campus that consists of accommodation in 132 new or refurbished blocks together with full academic and military training facilities; it also boasts a 600 seat lecture theatre and a huge sports hall.

The AFC is for young lads and girls from the age of 16 who want a career in the Army and many join straight from school. They spend one year at the college as junior soldiers and when they pass out from the college they then go unto their respective regiments for further training.

Link> MoD: Harrogate celebrates Army college's 10th birthday

Link> MoD: AFC Harrogate

Link> Wikipedia: Army Foundation College

Taunton welcomes home 40 Commando

Thousands of people turned out in Taunton, Somerset to give a hero's welcome to 400 Royal Marines from 40 Commando on their return home after a seven month deployment in Afghanistan. A chance for the town to honour the sacrificies they made - "we're so proud of them" one resident said.

It wasn't all joyful: three comrades were killed fighting the Taliban and a special civic ceremony was held in their memory and honour. Lieutenant Thornton and Marine Marsh both died when the vehicle they were travelling in was caught in an explosion in the vicinity of Kajaki, Helmand Province, on March 20th. Corporal Mulvihill was killed in an explosion while taking part in an outreach patrol to disrupt enemy forces north of Sangin, Helmand Province on February 20th.

One marine said about the reception they had received in their home town: "It's good to get the recognition from the public and a good way to remember the lads who never came back". Major Dan Cheeseman said: “It was overwhelming. Not long ago, we wouldn’t have worn our uniforms in public. Now we just can’t shake enough hands.”

Well done 40 Commando! Well done Taunton!

Link> Somerset Gazette: Taunton Marines receive heroes' welcome
Link> BBC: Returning Commandos hailed (video)
Link> The Sun: A big difference one year on
Link> MoD: Crowds honour 40 Commando's Afghanistan deployment
Link> The Sun: Homecoming joy for Royal Marines


YouTube: 40 Commando Royal Marines in Afghanistan February 2008

4 Mechanised Brigade honours Parliament

Soldiers from 4 Mechanised Brigade paraded into Westminster Palace for their homecoming ceremony after their tour of duty in Iraq.

This was a rare honour which the troops bestowed on MPs, one that the MPs will remember for the rest of their lives.

The presence of the 120 troops at the centre of government shows that, despite being let down repeatedly in the past, the British Army is still prepared to honour our institutions and to continue to safeguard our democracy and our freedom.

Our thanks to members of 4 Mechanised Brigade!

It looked like a great parade.

[I'm surprised the politicians risked this .......... but they did take their guns away from them. The title of the MoD's webpage is a bit risky too.]

Link> MoD: 4 Mech Brigade marches on Parliament

Link> The Sun: British troops get big salute
Link> The Mail: Triumphant homecoming as troops stage first march past Parliament of British soldiers serving in Iraq

Link> BBC: Troops parade into Parliament (video)

also

Link> MoD: 4 Mechanised Brigade to take over as the lead formation in southern Iraq

TA Centenary Parade - Hertford, July 27th

Text of a letter which appeared in the Welwyn and Hatfield Times.

SIR....

This year marks the centenary of the Territorial Army. TA soldiers are the hidden heroes in our community. Dedicated and professional, they balance their civilian lives with a regular commitment to training and, when called upon, serve alongside their colleagues in the regular army. Winston Churchill referred to them as being 'twice a citizen' - squeezing two jobs, two lives into the space in which others barely have time for one.

During this centenary year the Welwyn and Hatfield division of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) would like to thank the men and women of Hatfield, WGC and the surrounding area who unflinchingly dedicate themselves to their TA duties.

With the ongoing pressures on all our armed forces, TA and reserve members have been mobilised in numbers unprecedented in recent history. These reserve forces leave their civilian lives and families at home while they are deployed in the battle-zones of Iraq or Afghanistan with all the accompanied hardships and dangers. While they are away, families undergo the stress of having a loved one on the frontline but without all the support of the established military community. Having experienced situations that may be unimaginable to many of us, they return and occasionally find it difficult to settle back in to a civilian life.

To mark the centenary of the Territorial Army, there will be a parade of TA, Old Comrades Association and army cadet force members, in Hertford on July 27. It will start from the TA Centre, St Andrew's Street, Hertford, at 9.50am, and will end at All Saints Church for a service between 10.15 and 11.15am. The parade will then march back to the TA Centre for a presentation and buffet lunch at midday. On parade will be 13 Platoon of the Royal Anglian Regiment, Infantry, and the Medical Support Unit, Evacuation Squadron of 254 Medical Regiment.

Signed: Robert Woods, SSAFA Forces Help, divisional secretary

Says it all.

Link> The Welwyn and Hatfield Times

Victory Parade - Russian style

One thing about the Ruskies: they know how to put on a good parade.

Missile carriers rumbled across Moscow's Red Square and war planes roared overhead as Russia celebrated the 63rd anniversary of victory over Germany in 1945. Brass bands and some 8,000 soldiers clad in newly designed uniforms goose-stepped across the square as Russia's leaders watched from a platform in front of Lenin's mausoleum. Soldiers chanted "hurrah" as Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov reviewed the troops from a silver open-top limousine. This year's parade was the biggest military extravaganza seen on Red Square since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Vladimir Putin, before stepping down as Russian president, had ordered the army to revive the Soviet tradition of displaying heavy weaponry such as tanks and missiles.
The annual Victory Day parade is a key holiday in Russia - a time not only to remember the almost 27 million Soviet soldiers and citizens killed during World War II, but also to show off the country's military might.

Link> Pravda: 9th of May - Victory Day
Link> YouTube: Victory Day 2008
Link> BBC: Pomp and pride on show in Moscow