Praise for troops at base

A Falklands veteran has praised a Shropshire-based army regiment as being a "real boost for the county" after about 60 soldiers took part in an annual Royal British Legion parade.

Dave Lewis, of Market Drayton, saw active service in the 1982 conflict with Argentina, and is now the parade marshall for the town's legion branch.

Yesterday he was joined by standard-bearers from the legion and about 60 troops from 1st Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment as they paraded through the streets of Market Drayton.

Mr Lewis said: "It really was a cracking day and very well attended. The Royal Irish have settled in very well at Tern Hill and they are a big boost for the town and the county. After the parade some of the soldiers came to the reception for about an hour.

"They really have settled in well to the Market Drayton area so it's nice they supported our parade. And it's good to see the town and the community supporting the armed forces."

Market Drayton mayor Roy Aldcroft agreed the regiment had settled in well. He said: "They are very well integrated with the town and that was underlined by the amount of people who turned out along the route of the parade to cheer them on. It was a considerable number of people.

"It was a Legion in the Community event and was very well attended.

"They marched off round the town to the church where they stopped for a service before marching again afterwards."