Thousands Welcomed Home Yorkshire Regiment

Event, Leeds, West Yorkshire

Thousands of well-wishers crowded the streets of Leeds today to welcome home heroes from the Yorkshire Regiment.

The crowds cheered and applauded the homecoming troops, who are returning from tours in both Iraq and Kosovo.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion (1 Yorks) marched around the city, followed by a parade in Millennium Square outside the civic hall, where the Lord Mayor or Leeds along with General Graham Binns took the salute.

During the parade each Guard of soldiers dressed in either temperate (Green) or desert uniform to reflect the Battalions roles during the last nine months. Parading soldiers also displayed their recently awarded operational medals, presented at a Medal Parade in Munster on 17 July 2009. The Battalion's Regimental Pets: Imphal and Quebec also attended, along with a small display of military vehicles and weapons.

The Yorkshire Regiment are amongst the last troops to withdraw from southern Iraq (Operation TELIC 13). The Regiment will now deploy in Afghanistan later in the year.

I caught up with troopers Danny Holt and Neil Portman, Trooper Holt returning from a 6 month tour of Iraq where he had been engaged in close protection work, whilst Trooper Portman just returning from Kosovo. Both said they were delighted to be back home for a while, Neil adding it was nice to spend some time with his 6 month old baby boy.
Both soldiers said they were proud members of the Yorkshire Regiment and happy to be doing valuable work on behalf of the country.

Article: 24 July 2009

See Also: Leeds | Yorkshire Regiment | Yorks

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