Shropshire's Royal Irish Regiment due home today
The final flight bringing Shropshire-based soldiers back from a seven-month tour of Afghanistan was due to touch down in Britain today. The final flight bringing Shropshire-based soldiers back from a seven-month tour of Afghanistan was due to touch down in Britain today. The remaining 57 soldiers from 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment were due to return to their barracks in Tern Hill, where there are expected to be emotional scenes later on as the troops are reunited with loved ones. Three members of the battalion lost their lives in Afghanistan. The return comes amid delays on a decision on whether to grant the soldiers freedom of Market Drayton. The town council was last night due to consider proposals to confer the civic honour on the battalion but deferred their vote.
The final flight bringing Shropshire-based soldiers back from a seven-month tour of Afghanistan was due to touch down in Britain today.
The remaining 57 soldiers from 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment were due to return to their barracks in Tern Hill, where there are expected to be emotional scenes later on as the troops are reunited with loved ones. Three members of the battalion lost their lives in Afghanistan.
The return comes amid delays on a decision on whether to grant the soldiers freedom of Market Drayton.
The town council was last night due to consider proposals to confer the civic honour on the battalion but deferred their vote.
Councillor Mark Whittle urged members to take a vote last night and warned that any deferral would amount to putting the idea aside "for no good reason".
But Councillor Val Taylor called for the decision to be taken by the finance committee.
She said: "I have no intention of stopping the soldiers getting the freedom of the town, but I want it done with dignity and in the same way we have done it for others."
Shropshire is due to honour the troops with homecoming parades in Market Drayton on Monday from 10am and in Shrewsbury the following day.
