People of Bristol line streets to welcome home local heroes
THE people of Bristol came out in their thousands to show their gratitude to the men and women of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment.
More than 250 of the "tankies" marched through the city centre yesterday in a homecoming parade to celebrate the end of a gruelling seven-month tour in Afghanistan.
About 300 soldiers spent six months on duty between September and April, providing heavy armoured support to the British Infantry.
The regiment, based in Tidworth in Wiltshire, recruits a large number of its soldiers from Bristol, and as they stood to attention in front of the council house on College Green, hundreds clapped and cheered to salute them.
Among them were mothers and fathers, wives and girlfriends, sons and daughters – all brimming with pride, and above all relieved that each and every one of the Tankies had made it home.
The homecoming began with a service at Bristol Cathedral. More than 450 servicemen and women packed the pews, the sea of sandy camouflaged fatigues broken here and there by the snowy white hair and smart blazers of the veterans of the regiment.
Welcoming the soldiers home, the Dean, David Hoyle, told them: "On behalf of the community I want to thank you for what you have done. We are very glad to see you home and safe, and it is an immense privilege to have you here.
"You are most welcome."
Prayers for the regiment's recent fallen followed, and as their names were raised to the cathedral's rafters their comrades stood to attention, hands by their sides or clasped behind their backs, the sorrow at their passing eased by the pride of their service.
After the ceremony the soldiers drew themselves up in front of the council house in five divisions of 50 men, ready for an inspection by Lord Mayor Councillor Geoff Gollop, Lord Lieutenant Mary Prior and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, General Sir Michael Rose. They stood to attention for almost an hour under the beating sun, but it was nothing compared to the sweltering temperatures they endured during their time in Afghanistan.
Hundreds of people had come from far and wide to watch loved ones in the parade but others with no connection to the military turned out simply to support the troops and show their thanks.
Paula Glancy, 28, a council worker from Redfield, has a brother in the Army.
She said: "He has been to Afghanistan twice and is going again in October, so I think they need all the support they can get.
"It just makes you so proud to be British when you see things like this. It brings a tear to your eye and makes you quite emotional."
Chiara Chilcott, 30, had travelled down from Marlborough to see her boyfriend, Captain Ed Treliving, on parade.
She said: "When you see them all together like this you realise what an amazing job they have all done and how brave they are. I was actually quite emotional in the service."
Dagmar Hoole, from Wincanton, had also travelled to Bristol to see her son, Trooper Stefan Hoole, 21, along with his girlfriend, Lizzie Palmer, 22.
Mrs Hoole, 50, said: "It was his first tour and I am just so proud. It wasn't that bad, as he didn't tell us everything that was going on, but it was great to have him back home in one piece."
As their inspection came to an end the regimental Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band struck up a brassy note, and the soldiers began their march past the cathedral to St Augustine's Parade, their sand-coloured boots keeping impeccable time.
A ripple of applause and cheers rose to a crescendo as they paraded through the city. Shop workers came out to their doorways, guests at the Marriott Royal lined the balcony to wave flags and traffic through the centre stopped in its tracks as the people of Bristol paused to pay their respects.
Bringing up the rear and marching with a quiet dignity were the veterans of conflicts past, Tankies who had fought in different fields of battle but who would forever be part of the regiment's brotherhood.
At 90 years old Peter Gillard, who was born in Horfield, is one of the RTR's oldest soldiers. After joining the regiment in 1938 he served in Palestine, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany.
He said: "I have very fond memories of my time, and it is wonderful that they have come here today. I would love to have marched along with them, but I think I might have slowed them down a little bit now."
A Warthog infantry support vehicle and Scimitar tank brought up the rear, and after marching around the Cenotaph and back to College Green the soldiers stood at ease and joined their families.
Speaking after the parade Major James Cameron, leader of the Badger Squadron of the 2nd RTR, said: "It is wonderful to be back and it is great to be here.
"It is a long time since we marched like this, so I was really proud to be on parade among our men.
"Being reunited with your family is wonderful, because they have almost as hard a job dealing with it as the men do. But this sort of contact with the public is fantastic, as the soldiers often don't realise that what they do is appreciated. It is lovely to see them supporting this in this way, and it is great for the public as well."
Norman Date, 65, from Windmill Hill, summed up the public feeling.
He said: "Although people may disagree with why we are in the conflict, we can still be here to recognise our soldiers' courage and determination.
"To see them on parade like that and knowing they put their lives on the line, it makes you feel proud to be part of this great country."
Additional reporting Louis Macleod
32 Comments
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by GanjaCrew
Monday, July 18 2011, 7:53PM
“@ BCFCfinker There is a continuity of agenda it doesn't matter which way you vote. Our leaders are just puppets, the real power is hidden.”
by GanjaCrew
Monday, July 18 2011, 7:52PM
“@ BCFCfinker So you don't like that technique but you use it yourself interesting.... didn't you get the fact i was talking the the **** outta your style...by copying it :P Guess not.. thats why your losing. Keep nipping all you like, your hitting nothing but air. Your not learning from your mistakes are you buddy. Their is a continuity of agenda it doesn't matter which way you vote. Our leaders
@bulbous I'm covering the full spectrum. its aint just a keyboard :)
@ BristolDJ 'disruption in one of the largest opium/heroin distribution channels to the UK' research hahahaha my behind. Your a joker try checking the heroin production figures under the taliban and then compare to after. how the hell to you get to disruption when year after year they are cropping new records of poppy. they aint a channel they are the source of over 90% of the worlds heroin production. Oh and the troops are leaving them to it so as to not cause trouble.”
by Irritable9
Monday, July 18 2011, 3:33PM
“I have no doubt the troops are doing a brilliant job and I thank them. They are making a difference but I also question if it makes our country safer from terrorists as we seem to do quite well at breeding our own nowadays. I just don't think the problem will ever go away while we need oil and feel unable to distance ourselves from the likes of Saudi Arabia and Libya. The internet might help to spread the word, as with the Arab Spring uprising, but while there is poverty there are always vulnerable people who will be persuaded it's the US and its allies who are the enemy. Especially when we keep interfering in their countries.
It's interesting that the US and ourselves are working towards pulling out of Afghanistan. Is it because they feel their work is done or running out of money or realise it's a losing the battle with no end? Libya could replace Afganistan if it carries on for much longer. It's another complicated situation that we shouldn't have really got ourselves into and definitely can't afford. We just never learn.”
by BristolDJ
Monday, July 18 2011, 2:15PM
“And yes, i totally concur about the Saudi Arabia issue... that is a bit of a elephant in the room that noone will acknowledge. Like libya until they kicked off.”
by BristolDJ
Monday, July 18 2011, 2:13PM
“I agree with the education part, which is why troops have built schools in a majority of regions they managed to pacify and remove the taliban from. There are now children going to schools after the Taliban closed them decades ago and a huge increase in the amount of girls now getting an education compared to zero before the invasion. It's an old article but I didn't have time to fully search, but it came top of a google search
http://tinyurl.com/3h5oaay
Look it all up, there's a plethora of evidence that they are going a sterling job and if you actually speak to the majority of squaddies like I do, then you'd realise that they do agree they should be there and are being successful in the their objectives.”
by Morrissey9
Monday, July 18 2011, 2:13PM
“Bristol DJ - From what I have seen, the default tabloid angle is that our brave boys are infallible heroes and you dare not question their reasons for being in Afghanistan. I am not sure what "proper research" you have done, but it is certainly debatable how much safer it has actually made the UK, if at all. I am not sure why is is the army's job to disrupt drug routes also.”
by Irritable9
Monday, July 18 2011, 1:14PM
“Building the schools the Pakistan/Afgan people want to educate the poor (especially girls) would be a better use of the money spent. Saudia Arabia have provided the money to build schools for the Taliban for years. The poor don't know any better and become radicalised because they at least have a purpose in their lives. The farmers grow opium because it makes them more money than normal crops - again education is the key.
Yes, getting rid of the radicals' training camps is of course sterling work and I'm not saying it doesn't help but as one comes down another is built - it's not getting to the core of the problem. I am afraid politics plays an enormous part in what the troops are sent to do and you can't stop people speaking out. Ask yourself why Saudia Arabia is never really tackled on this - money/trade call it what you want its been the problem all along. Osama (a disenchanted Saudi) turned on the Americans (for various reasons) and created another radicalised operation recruiting again the poorly educated or brainwashed individuals.
I personally can't see the end to it unless we educate the people to help themselves - you might say that's what the troops are doing but I think building schools is a better way.”
by BristolDJ
Monday, July 18 2011, 10:57AM
“I apologise for the hideous english/grammer in that last statement, I am exhausted and just re-read that and was mortified. I'm sure you can pick up the gist of it however.”
by BristolDJ
Monday, July 18 2011, 10:56AM
“@Morrissey9
Talking with little knowledge of the work they do nor basing your comment any tangible facts/evidence. The overriding fact is that the work in Afghanistan has had real tangible effects on UK domestic safety for the better. The removal of a large surplus of radicalisation training camps and disruption in one of the largest opium/heroin distribution channels to the UK. The list is quite extensive to what they have achieved. Put down the tabloid newspapers (and to some extent, any newspaper) and do some proper research.”
by Morrissey9
Monday, July 18 2011, 10:38AM
“They have signed up to do a job and have been sent to a country to perform an unwinnable war that actually makes us less rather than more safe here in the UK. This is not their fault however, they are very brave and certainly deserve some respect, but they aren't heroes of mine.”