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TUESDAY JUNE 15TH 2010
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1947
ISSUE NO 720 | VARSITY.CO.UK
‘Vikings’ return from war MICHAEL DERRINGER
Celebration of troops’ homecoming goes ahead despite station bomb scare and court arson attack RICHARD MOORE
Against the backdrop of a steelgrey sky, a chill wind, cheering crowds and the ringing bells of Great St Mary’s Church, the city of Cambridge played host yesterday to the homecoming march of the Royal Anglian Regiment, nicknamed the ‘Vikings’, which has recently returned to Britain after a sixmonth tour of duty in Afghanistan. Two hundred soldiers from the Regiment marched through Cambridge yesterday evening, accompanied by a military band, exercising the Regiment’s honorary freedom of the city. The march, which aims to celebrate the link between the Royal Anglian
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Regiment and the city of Cambridge, was led by the Regiment’s D Company, which recruits from Cambridgeshire. The procession of soldiers began at Shire Hall at 6pm, before continuing through the city centre towards King’s Parade. The commanding officer of the Regiment’s 1st Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel James Woodham, described the public presence of the streets of Cambridge as “just extraordinary.” “It means so much to myself and my soldiers,” said Lieutenant Colonel Woodhams. “It’s very difficult not to smirk.” A salute was taken in front of King’s College by dignitaries including the mayor of Cambridge, Councillor Sheila Stuart, University Vice-Chancellor Alison
Richard, and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Anglian Regiment. Afterwards, a civic reception was held for the returning soldiers in the Guildhall. After inspecting the troops with the mayor of Cambridge, the Duke paid tribute to the Regiment’s work in Helmand province, saying that they had “left Helmand a safer and more secure place.” As well as fighting insurgents, the Royal Anglian Regiment has spent the last six months in Afghanistan supporting the local government, and training the Afghan army and police force. The Regiment’s soldiers were “tough when required,” said the Duke, “but compassionate towards
the Afghan people.” Although the British Armed Forces did not always receive the support which they deserved, the Duke continued, this was not the case in Cambridge. The Duke also paid tribute to Lance Corporal Scott Hardy, Private James Grigg, Captain Martin Driver, Private Robert Hayes and Lance Corporal Adam Drane, five soldiers from the Regiment who did not return from Afghanistan. He acknowledged that the Regiment had made many sacrifices in its commitment to the Afghan mission, including those made by the many more soldiers who were injured whilst carrying out their duties. Only a handful of anti-war
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protesters appeared at the march, carrying placards supporting a withdrawal of all British troops from Afghanistan. Lieutenant Colonel Woodham claimed not even to have noticed the demonstrators, saying that the support from the people of Cambridge was much more in evidence: “I think these sort of occasions bring the best out of society. All of my soldiers were just awestruck.” His appreciation of the public’s support was echoed by Lance Corporal Hugh Murphy. “It’s good to know your work’s appreciated”, he said, adding that the feeling amongst the troops was that the protesters had a right to their opinion, and that it did not diminish the happiness of returning home.
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