Presentation to the Royal Anglian Regiment

This page provides information about the Royal Anglian Regiments homecoming parade in Wigston that took place on 9 October 2011.

In advance of the homecoming parade, the Royal Anglian Regiment were presented with a scroll at the meeting of the full Council on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 at the Council Offices in Wigston. The photograph shows Colonel Nigel Johnson accepting the scroll accompanied by soldiers.

The local Territorial Army infantry soldiers from the Third Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment were given formal recognition when they returned home. Over the past six months 120 soldiers have been deployed on operations in the United Nations buffer zone in Nicosia, Cyprus.

The soldiers were invited to take part in a homecoming parade in the borough were, for the first time, they exercised the great honour of Freedom of Oadby and Wigston.

Councillor Bill Boulter said: 'I am very pleased and feel honoured that the army has been given Freedom of the Borough to march in Wigston. I am sure residents of the Borough will applaud and appreciate the parade in October.'

The homecoming parade took place on Sunday, 9 October 2011 and consisted of 100 soldiers and 50 band members (see the photo gallery below). It went from Bell Street to Bushloe End via Long Street. On route, outside Peace Memorial Park on Long Street, the Lord Lieutenant took the salute then the Mayor made a speech and inspected the troops. The parade then continued on to the Royal British Legion on Bushloe End, where the troops fell out.

More than 1,000 people lined the streets and followed the parade. There were many proud parents, families and friends of these soldiers who came out to show their support including Jo Cameron who came to watch her son Private Tom Willis and Suzanne Lewin with her three year old son, Logan who were there to support her husband, Private Craig Lewin. Suzanne said, 'I felt very proud of him today.'

Private Lewin expressed his appreciation and said, 'I've never done one of these before and there was a really big turnout; looking round you think 'wow' - it's quite overwhelming. It's brilliant to be back and see the family.'

Captain Ian Ginns said, 'When you are out there, you feel so disconnected. You just do not get the time or the opportunity to call or email home, which feels like a million miles away. But here today, during the parade, you see your family and friends and even people you don't even know clapping and waving for you - it helps you reconnect and it makes it all worthwhile.'