MORE than 230 soldiers from Perham Down based 26 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, took part in a Parade to accept the Freedom of Ludgershall last Saturday.

On a bright early summer morning the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Joe Fossey, led the 230 strong parade along the main street lined with cheering crowds and accompanied by the Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers.

On approaching the Memorial Hall in the centre of town, the soldiers gave ‘Eyes Right’ to the dais from where the Chairman of Ludgershall Council, Councillor Owen White, the Chief Royal Engineer, Lieutenant General Sir Mark Mans and representing the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, retired General Sir Michael Jackson, were watching the parade.

To be granted freedom of a town or city is the greatest honour that can be bestowed upon a unit within the Armed Forces and at a special meeting of the Town Council of Ludgershall held last year, it was decided to grant the Freedom of the town to the Regiment, with whom the town has shared a growing friendship since the Regt reformed there in April 2000.

During a ceremonial lunch held after the parade, the Freedom citation was formally accepted on behalf of the Regiment by Lieutenant Colonel Fossey. An extract from the citation reads:

“26 Engineer Regiment, Corps of Royal Engineers, has achieved for itself honour and renown everywhere not only for the valour of it’s officers and men but also by their pioneering exploits and achievements at home and overseas”.

Lieutenant Colonel Fossey said: “Today marks 26 Engineer’s opportunity to cement and deepen our ties with a very supportive town with whom we have had dealings for the last 15 years.

Soldiers who had taken part in the parade were also treated to the town’s hospitality, when they were provided with refreshments by several establishments in the town.

Cpl Jack McCambridge, from South Wales, has been in the Army for just over nine years, eight of them in Ludgershall. He said:

“I have been here for eight years and I know the locals who work on camp, I use the local amenities like the Garage and for groceries, the local have always welcomed us.

“We were nervous about getting things right on the parade but once we saw the crowd, heard the band playing and got into the beat, it was an unbelievable feeling.”

Other guests attending were Clare Perry, Member of Parliament for Devizes, the High Sheriff of Wiltshire, Lady Gooch JP and Jane Scott, leader of Wiltshire Council.

The tradition of conferring freedom of a Town or City dates from when fortress walls were necessary to protect its inhabitants from outlaw bands and the attacks of feudal lords. Bodies of armed men were refused entry into the town unless the citizens were confident that they meant no harm. The granting of permission for a formed body of armed men to enter a town became a mark of trust and confidence in which that body was held by the citizens of the town.