Royal Irish Regiment take part in Shrewsbury homecoming parade
Thousands of people lined Shrewsbury's streets today as soldiers from 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment marched through the town during a homecoming parade.
The regiment left Shrewsbury Castle at 10am marching through the town centre along Dogpole, Wyle Cop and into Abbey Foregate as thousands of people lined the streets of Shrewsbury town centre and Abbey Foregate to watch the parade.
A special service was then held at Shrewsbury Abbey before the regiment marched up Abbey Foregate to Shirehall for a civic reception.
The service at the historic Abbey was attended by Owen Paterson, Conservative MP for North Shropshire and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Mark Pritchard the Conservative MP for The Wrekin, Shropshire Council leader Keith Barrow and the Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire (the Queen’s representative in the county), Algernon Heber-Percy Esq.
The regiment, based at Tern Hill barracks near Market Drayton, returned to Shropshire last week following a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan, 300 soldiers and officers took part in the parade.
Speaking before the parade Shropshire Council chairman, Malcolm Pate, said:
“These soldiers and officers have been serving their country for six months in very difficult and dangerous circumstances thousands of miles from home,” Councillor Pate said. “I think it’s extremely important that the people of Shropshire turn out in good numbers to welcome them home, and I’m sure the parade will be a wonderful and poignant occasion for all concerned.”
Commanding officer, Lt Col Colin Weir MBE, said: “We have always been made to feel welcome by the people of Shropshire. We are honoured to have been asked to march through Shrewsbury, after six months in Afghanistan, the parade is a fitting finale to what has been a gruelling operational deployment.”
Three soldiers from the battalion were killed in the tour, which began in September. Ranger Aaron McCormick, 22, from Macosquin in County Londonderry, Ranger David Dalzell, 20, from Bangor and Lance Corporal Stephen McKee, 27.
