Duke of York honours Royal Irish Regiment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR4Ih7s2fZE

The Duke of York and more than 1,200 well-wishers turned out at a Shropshire barracks to honour troops who served in Afghanistan and remember those who did not make it home.

About 350 members of the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment proudly paraded in front of their friends, family, military top brass and Prince Andrew at their barracks in Tern Hill on Saturday.

In his role as colonel-in-chief of the regiment, the duke presented soldiers who took part in Operation Herrick 13 in Afghanistan with campaign and long service medals.

The Waterloo Day parade honoured the troops who died in the Battle of Waterloo, which happened on June 18, 1815, and also three soldiers who died during the regiment's deployment to Afghanistan.

Prince Andrew also gave the posthumous Elizabeth Cross award to the families of Lance Corporal Stephen McKee, Ranger David Dalzell and Ranger Aaron McCormick, who were all killed in action.

Battalion spokesman Captain Jeff Herbert said about 270 soldiers received campaign medals.

He said: "We are presenting these soldiers with campaign medals to draw a line under Operation Herrick 13.

"The bereaved families have received an Elizabeth Cross and for them it's not an end to Operation Herrick 13, but as a regimental family we will look after them."

The parade featured traditional music from the battalion's pipes and drums and onlookers caught a glimpse of Finn, the regiment's latest Irish wolfhound mascot.

Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Colin Weir led the parade, which saw the soldiers march past Prince Andrew with their rifles and bayonets, while officers stood guard with their swords drawn.

There were mixed emotions on the day with applause and cheering during the march, contrasting with silence as the bereaved families accepted their Elizabeth Cross awards.

The parade ended with an aerobatic flypast from a Merlin helicopter, before soldiers joined their friends and family for a welcome home reception.

Owen Paterson, MP for North Shropshire and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, attended the parade with wife Rose and awarded some of the medals.

He said: "I would not have missed this for anything and it was a great honour to pin some of the medals on the chests of some very brave people.

"Any time any of us is in a public place or on public transport we are safer due to the efforts and professionalism of these soldiers."

By Tom Johannsen