Mercian Regiment marks 10th anniversary with Lichfield parade - in PICTURES
Music, marching and military spectacle filled the streets when the soldiers of the Mercian Regiment paraded through a city centre to mark a special anniversary.
It was 10 years ago that the Prince of Wales took the salute in a ceremony marking the historic birth of a new Staffordshire regiment.
And on Saturday, hundreds of people lined the pavements to celebrate the milestone as the soldiers marched through the city before a service at the cathedral to lay up the colours of the former Third Battalion.
It was the first ceremonial parade for new regimental mascot Private Derby XXXII, a Swaledale ram, who headed the procession alongside the Band of the Mercian Regiment in navy brass-buttoned coats. Behind them marched lines of soldiers in khaki brown, exercising the regiment’s freedom of the city.
Also taking part were veterans from the Mercian Regiment Association and the Staffordshire Regiment Association, and Army Cadets.
The parade stepped off from Lichfield Cathedral, following a circular route along Bird Street, Bore Street, Dam Street and The Close, passing the Guildhall where the Colonel of the Regiment, Brigadier Andrew Williams, took the salute.
The colour party carried the flags and standards of the former 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment, disbanded in 2014 as part of the Army's restructuring plans. These were laid up at the cathedral service.
Ten years ago Prince Charles, Colonel-in-Chief of the Mercian and Cheshire regiments, told the crowd the merger marked the start of 'another chapter in the long story of loyal service to the Crown that is the history of the English county regiments.'
