Homecoming Parades December 2009
When I took over as OC Rear Party, I remember briefly discussing the planned Homecoming parades, I remembered principally that they were a long, long time away and that there was plenty of time to organise everything. There was a small matter of finding a camp big enough to accommodate 450 people that was still open but Beckingham came up trumps, in a slightly decrepit, late 1970s kind of way. The parades still seemed a long time away with the return of the Battalion and the collective sigh of relief that greeted everyone going on POTL. And then time seemed to speed up dramatically. Three days of hectic recces, a number of civilian sensibilities slightly bruised and we were good to go. All that remained was the small matter of a midnight ferry crossing followed by a coach journey from the Galloway peninsular to the Nottinghamshire-Lincolnshire border and we were settled into our charming accommodation and ready for the off.
The journey from Beckingham to Worcester could have been better: a lorry could have chosen the next day to crash and cause severe tailbacks on the M42 but we all got there in the end - just. Walking the route with the command team, it was clear that we were in for a great reception; people stopped us in the street to wish us well, shops were decked out with bunting and flags and there was an air of excitement and expectation. As the Battalion entered the Cathedral for the service, civic pride was very clear. Following a very moving service, which included a sermon from Padre Duncan that would become familiar over the next few days, it was time for the Battalion to form up. The format of the parades would be the same for all three cities. The Band of the Prince of Wales’s Division led, followed by Pte Derby XXIX: the Commanding Officer and the four guards followed in alphabetical order close behind. From the first beat of the bass drum, the sense of pride in the crowd was overwhelming, a feeling that grew as the marching troops left Cathedral Green and headed onto the narrow pedestrian street of the city centre. At this point, the crowds were within touching distance of the troops and many found the reception quite simply stunning. It is easy as a soldier to take a cynical attitude to parades, but the raw emotion on display was enough to warm the chilliest of hearts; even WO1 (RSM) Kimberlin MC was seen to smile but then he is a local boy. At the conclusion of the parade, some of the local soldiers were invited to a reception at the Guild Hall, where, following lunch and some liquid refreshment, a number were presented with their Operational Service Medals by the Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire, Mr Michael
The Mercian Eagle
Brinton. Other members of the Battalion were invited for a drink at a local pub whilst Ava Platoon headed off to a reception in their honour hosted by DHL. The first of the three parades, it seemed, had gone to plan and everyone was looking forward to what lay ahead.
The parade in Derby followed a broadly similar format, except for the Padre’s adress which was exactly the same! Following the service in Derby Cathedral, the Battalion formed up outside to massive applause. With a longer, more circuitous route, it seemed at one stage that the people of Worcester represented a peak of enthusiasm but then the route turned back to the city centre and the pedestrianised market square. The crowds in the square were immense, the whole area was absolutely packed with barely enough room for the parade to halt and disperse. Again, the local soldiers were invited to a civic reception and a select few were presented with their medals by the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Mr Willie Tucker. After a long day, there was nothing more to do than return to Beckingham and prepare for the third and final parade in Nottingham.
Having seen such rapturous reception in Worcester and Derby, some doubted that we could be so well received once again; they need not have worried. From the moment the parade set off from St Mary’s Church in the Lace Market area (Nottingham, despite being a City, has no Anglican Cathedral) and following the third iteration of the Padre’s address), the reception seemed to get bigger and bigger. By the time the head of the parade reached the market square, the crowd’s cheering overwhelmed the sound of the Band and it was impossible to get anywhere near the route. Again, the local soldiers were invited into the Council House for refreshments and the presentation of medals but, this time, there was more to come. Immediately after the reception, the entire Battalion moved to the City Ground as guests of Nottingham Forest FC. As a block of 400 men in desert combats, we were immediately noticed by the fans both home and away. Chants of “Stand up for the army boys” rang around the stadium but the best was yet to come. Preceded by an announcement over the PA system at half time, the Commanding Officer led the Battalion on a lap of the pitch. It would have been impossible not to be moved by the warmth of the crowd’s applause. It was a wonderful finale to three days of tribute to those who had fallen, to those who had been injured and to those who had returned tired but proud. Now all that remained was that journey back to Scotland by coach...
October 2010 51
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