PROUD soldiers of the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh marched through Chester on Saturday with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed having been given the Freedom of the Borough.
The 550-strong battalion, based at Dale Barracks, returned from a five-month tour of Afghanistan last month.
They were awarded the freedom of the borough by Cheshire West and Chester Council.
Commanding officer Lt Col Nick Lock said: “It is a huge privilege and a huge honour. All the soldiers greatly appreciate this honour that has been bestowed on the battalion.
“We are based in Chester and this was our homecoming parade after duty in Afghanistan and this was a very special occasion.
“It was a fantastic day and the turnout was incredible and the response from the public was amazing.”
The group made the biggest improvised explosive device (IED) find in UK Army history during their tour, the Ministry of Defence said.
During the tour, they lost one of their comrades, Fusilier Jonathan Burgess, from Swansea, during a gun battle with the Taliban in April.
Lt Col Lock said the soldiers would have been thinking of Fusilier Burgess during the march.
The Lord Mayor, Councillor Neil Ritchie, said the council and residents of the borough were ‘truly delighted’ to have the battalion march in Chester.
He presented a scroll conferring the Freedom status to commanding officer Lt Colonel Lock.
The move to honour the battalion was proposed by Cllr Jill Houlbrook whose Upton ward includes The Dale barracks where the battalion and its families are based.
She said she did so with “immense pride and gratitude.”
“The 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh are now very much part of the Upton community. I know only too well the fear of families and friends when they are away.
“The Freedom of the Borough is a significant thank you,” she said
