2 MERCIAN
Freedom Parades, March 2010 by LCpl Des Cox
The Band of The Prince of Wales’s Division spent a busy two weeks in March travelling around the towns of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire in support of the 2nd Battalion. The Regiment enjoyed tremendous support from the local communities in the area and these Parades and Marches were an opportunity to say a big thank you to both families and friends.
On Saturday, afternoon the troops paraded through Ilkeston, marching in Derby Road, up South Street and through the Market Place where the salute was taken outside the Town Hall before finishing along Bath Street. This proved to be the format for all of the marches and, by the end of the fortnight, the street names had started to blur - but not the towns. This was mainly due to the rapturous reception we received from each individual town that we visited: thousands of people came out to support us and it meant a lot to see the population showing an interest in and support for its troops.
Capt Sean Riley led the first set of Marches and WO1 Troy Taylor- Smith the second, both through a dizzying array of towns which took two weeks to complete. We paraded through Long Eaton, Ilkeston, Oldbury, Retford, Kidderminster, Bewdley, Glossop, Ripley, Newark, Southwell, Mansfield, Matlock, Chesterfield and, finally, the last town, Redditch on 20th March - fifteen in all. It was a long journey and, when I could, I took the chance to chat to a few of the lads (usually over a brew); they were always very honest and enlightening. Many had just come home from a six month tour in Afghanistan including LCpl Ross Polkey who was one of the 300 soldiers from the 2nd Battalion who took part in these parades. All the Parades were held to exercise the regiment’s Freedom of the many Towns and Boroughs including that of Erewash and, in so doing, also honouring Lance Sergeant Dave Greenhalgh, 25, from Ilkeston, who died after his vehicle set off a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Ross said that he was proud to take part in the first Parade in Long Eaton and was looking forward to the next fortnight. Today, he would join his colleagues along High Street, Old Market Place and Tamworth Road before saluting the Cenotaph outside St Laurence’s Church.
One soldier who received a great deal of attention from both civilians and soldiers was Private Derby, whose correct title is Private Derby XXIX. He is, of course, the Regimental Mascot and he marched behind the Band throughout the week. The dictionary defines a mascot as being an animal which brings good luck and such Mascots are indicative of the recruiting area of the Regiment - in this case a Swaledale Ram. The original Pte Derby was the Regimental Mascot of the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment, then of The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), then of The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th) and now, of course, of The Mercian Regiment.
Saturday 20th March was the final parade in Redditch. This parade was a little different in that we played at a Drum Head Service: conditions did not help as it was wet and windy - not ideal! A highlight was the performance of the Last Post, Musician Johnson stepping forward to play this solemn melody. Luckily, the elements did not distract him and he turned in a beautiful presentation.
The parades are a chance for the military to thank the towns for their support during what proved to be a tough tour of Afghanistan. My and the Band’s overriding memory of the fortnight will be all the support that people gave: children in schools, shopkeepers, shoppers and onlookers who had made special journeys from outside Town. All had come to show the Troops that their work was appreciated. They all showed a sense of pride in support, especially in the work that their soldiers had done - all were grateful to see and welcome the pride of the County safely home.
52 October 2010
The Mercian Eagle
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