PROUD soldiers of the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh will be marching through Chester this Saturday with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed having been given the Freedom of the Borough by Cheshire West and Chester Council.
Councillors set aside their political differences to reach the unanimous decision, proposed by Upton Cllr Jill Houlbrook, (Con), at a special council meeting last Thursday.
Supported by Labour leader Cllr Derek Bateman (Central and Westminster) and Lib Dem leader Cllr Malcolm Gaskill (Winsford South and West), Cllr Houlbrook, whose Upton ward includes The Dale barracks where the battalion and its families are based, said she did so with “immense pride and gratitude.”
Blacon Cllr Reggie Jones (Lab), who has marched through the city as a member of the former Cheshire Regiment, referred to the battalion’s tour in Afghanistan and commented: “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.”
Council leader Cllr Mike Jones (Con, Broxton) said the Freedom recognised the battalion’s hard work in Afghanistan which he described as ‘incredibly difficult’.
Chairman of the Council, Chester’s Lord Mayor Cllr Neil Ritchie, will present a scroll conferring the Freedom status to commanding officer Lt Colonel Nick Lock.
He will then inspect the 500 soldiers and band on Castle Square at 11am and will take the salute in Eastgate Street with Col Lock.
Col Lock says the battalion is ‘delighted and honoured to receive the Freedom of Cheshire West and Chester’.
Cllr Houlbrook, first put forward the idea of conferring the Freedom.
“The 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh are now very much part of the Upton community,” she said
The Cheshires, now the 1st Battalion of the Mercian Regiment and HMS Albion also have the Freedom of the Borough.
