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Our boys welcomed home [Brits come out to thank our heroes]
The Sun ^

Posted on 12/11/2007 10:12:02 AM PST by UKrepublican

Our boys welcomed home

THOUSANDS of people lined the streets of two cities today to welcome home soldiers from Iraq.

The 2nd Battalion of the Royal Welsh were given a heroes’ reception as they paraded through the centre of Cardiff after returning from the gruelling Operation Telic 10, their third tour of Iraq in four years.

And soldiers from 4th Battalion The Rifles marched through the centre of Salisbury following their recent return from a six-month tour in Iraq.

While based at Basra Palace prior to the handover to local control at the start of September, 4 Rifles saw some of the fiercest urban combat of the Iraq conflict.

In Cardiff, three members of the battalion who were killed in action; corporal Paul Joszko, lance corporal Ryan Francis and private Craig Barber were remembered.

Privates Jamie Kerr and Scott Kennedy, two soldiers from the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland, who were attached to the Royal Welsh during the tour, were also honoured after they too lost their lives.

The parade finished at the Millennium Stadium where more than 3,000 people had gathered to pay respects to the fallen men and show gratitude to those who made it back safely.

The chief of the general staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, was meant to address the troops but he pulled out due to illness.

In his place, the adjutant-general, Lt Gen Freddie Viggers, said there was a “golden thread” linking the 2nd battalion of the Royal Welsh and the soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot who won seven Victoria Crosses when they repelled the Zulu warriors at Rorke’s Drift in 1879.

Lt Gen Viggers praised the “courage, grit and downright stubbornness” of the battalion’s soldiers in imposing their will on the enemy, particularly during the first three months of the tour before they were repositioned from Basra Palace to the city’s air station.

He also promised the families of the fallen men that the Army would stand by them.

The regiment’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel James Swift, said: “It has been an honour and privilege to command such men and women on such a demanding operation.

“I could not have asked for a better team or such selfless commitment.

“Thank you, you are all truly Welsh warriors.”

The Morriston Orpheus male voice choir sang several hymns including Amazing Grace and Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer during the emotional service.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: iraq; thesun; uk
UK Ping list - if you would like on or off, freepmail me.

1 posted on 12/11/2007 10:12:03 AM PST by UKrepublican
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To: Tribune7; SoCalPol; Lil'freeper; mrsmel; wideawake; chasio649; expatpat; HanneyBean; goose; ...
PING

You can watch a video of the parade here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7130000/newsid_7138600/7138650.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm&asb=1&news=1&bbcws=1


2 posted on 12/11/2007 10:16:22 AM PST by UKrepublican
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To: UKrepublican

More pictures!

I want to see your boys too!


3 posted on 12/11/2007 10:18:37 AM PST by Red6 (Come and take it.)
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To: UKrepublican

To all the supporters of freedom and the soldiers of the UK, thank you friends!


4 posted on 12/11/2007 10:19:25 AM PST by Owl558 (Pardon my spelling)
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To: Red6
There you are!


5 posted on 12/11/2007 10:21:49 AM PST by UKrepublican
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To: UKrepublican
Up The Lads! Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
6 posted on 12/11/2007 10:23:52 AM PST by rahbert
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To: UKrepublican
A welsh choir singing "Guide Me O Thy Great Redeemer".....enough to stir the heart of any Brit. Must have been quite an occasion.

Welcome home, boys...well done!

7 posted on 12/11/2007 10:24:50 AM PST by Churchillspirit (We are all foot soldiers in this War On Terror.)
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To: UKrepublican

God Bless them all and those Brits who support them.


8 posted on 12/11/2007 10:50:50 AM PST by caisson71
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To: caisson71

Amen.


9 posted on 12/11/2007 10:52:14 AM PST by Badeye (Free Willie!)
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To: UKrepublican; snugs
Excellent! Thank you.
10 posted on 12/11/2007 10:53:55 AM PST by Earthdweller (All reality is based on faith in something.)
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To: UKrepublican

Welcome Home Soldiers and Thank You.


11 posted on 12/11/2007 10:58:16 AM PST by mdittmar (May God watch over those who serve,and have served,to keep us free)
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To: UKrepublican

Excellent! Welcome home boys and God bless you.


12 posted on 12/11/2007 11:02:08 AM PST by alarm rider (Why should I not vote my conscience?)
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To: UKrepublican
A wonderful Welcome Home, thanks for the pics.

Give them all a kiss for me!

13 posted on 12/11/2007 11:05:22 AM PST by roses of sharon
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To: UKrepublican

I hope they get a hero’s welcome.

They deserve it.


14 posted on 12/11/2007 11:40:21 AM PST by Red6 (Come and take it.)
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To: UKrepublican

This is great to see.

I wonder where all the “Brits are cutting and running” Freepers are?


15 posted on 12/11/2007 12:00:52 PM PST by abercrombie_guy_38
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To: abercrombie_guy_38

They cut and run.


16 posted on 12/11/2007 12:04:53 PM PST by agere_contra (Do not confuse the wealth of nations with the wealth of government - FDT)
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To: UKrepublican

Very good!!


17 posted on 12/11/2007 12:36:53 PM PST by dennisw (Islam - "a transnational association of dangerous lunatics")
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To: UKrepublican

Thank you, heroes, for helping make our world a better place! You guys ROCK!


18 posted on 12/11/2007 9:37:24 PM PST by StarCMC (http://cannoneerno4.wordpress.com; http://starcmc.wordpress.com/ - The Enemedia is inside the gates.)
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To: UKrepublican

God bless our American, Australian and British military people!


19 posted on 12/12/2007 12:01:14 PM PST by TenthAmendmentChampion (Global warming is to Revelations as the theory of evolution is to Genesis.)
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