THE BOYS are back!

ROYAL ANGLIAN REGIMENT HOMECOMING PARADE

Just before Christmas, the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, nicknamed The Poachers, returned from their second tour of Iraq in 2 years. During those tours the Battalion, which recruits from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, sacrificed much to improve the conditions in that war torn country, including, in 2006, the lives of two of its fine young soldiers. From what looked like a hopeless situation in late 2006, a transformation has since occurred in Basra, Iraq’s second city, bringing peace and the first signs of prosperity. At the heart of this transformation were The Poachers, who by working alongside the Iraqi Security Forces, brought order and peace to a City which lies at the very heart of that Nation’s future. It was a huge achievement which, during the long hot summer of 2008, went largely unreported in the national media. This was a pity as, given the strategic nature of the Battalion’s success, the soldiers deserved to be recognised for doing a difficult job, thoroughly professionally, on behalf of their Country.

On 11th March The Poachers conducted a Homecoming Parade in Watford, during which they exercised their Freedom of the Borough. Their Parade took a route along Lower High Street, across Exchange Road along the High Street, and ended by the Pond. The Commanding Officer wrote to Watford Borough Council urging that the word be spread to rally support for this Parade and the folk of Watford did them proud by taking to the streets. They came out in force to show our soldiers that both their sacrifice and peacemaking efforts have been recognised by the communities from which they had come. As our county Infantry Battalion marched past with their drums beating, bands playing, colours flying and bayonets fixed, there was much cheering, clapping and flags waving.

Welcome Home!

This article was created on Thursday, 30th April 2009.

This is the 37th issue of Flea Magazine in Watford. The on-line version of the articles below includes additional content that we couldn't fit into the printed version.

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