A major street parade and special service is to be staged in Shropshire to welcome home troops returning from Afghanistan.
The Royal Irish Regiment, stationed at Tern Hill, will be welcomed back to the county at a thanksgiving service to be held at Shrewsbury Abbey, which is being organised by Shropshire County Council chairman Brian Gillow.
The service will be followed by a parade through the county town by the rangers – Royal Irish soldiers.
About 600 of them are currently serving in the volatile and dangerous Helmand Province, largely in a training and mentoring role alongside the National Afghan Army.
By October 16, when the service and parade take place, they will all be home.
Their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ed Freely, joins them again today after two weeks back in the county.
Preparing to fly out, Lt Col Freely said: “It is marvellous to be able to take this news back with me.
“They so rely on any messages, support and the feeling that people are backing them and valuing them.
“To know that Shropshire is going to welcome them home in this way will be so well received.
“We have already been overwhelmed by the friendship of communities in the county.”
Until last year, the regiment was based at Fort George in Inverness.
Mr Gillow, who served in the Irish Guards, wants the move to be a tribute and thank you to men and women from all the services who have been, are and will be serving in war zones.
He said: “This is just one regiment out there at the moment but representatives from other regiments are serving with them.
“And I am very conscious that there have been and will be others going out to Afghanistan and Iraq from the county and other regiments. I hope the service and parade will be seen as a tribute to them all.
“It has seemed to me for a long time that we should be doing something positive to say thank you and welcome home to those who show such bravery in dangerous parts of the world.”
He is urging people to line the streets and show their support for the troops.
Exclusive by Shirley Tart
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One Comment
Brave people. Not a job I would wish to do. But apart from the training I see no logical reason for us to be in that country. If fighting the heroin trade is part of it then we’ve lost that war, apparently the stuff has never been cheaper.
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