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Heroes welcome for the Staffords
Jun 15 2007 By Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail
SOLDIERS from The 1st Battalion Staffordshire Regiment made an emotional return home to take part in their last Freedom Parade in Lichfield before their famous name disappears.
As well as marking their return from the conflict in Iraq, yesterday's parade in Lichfield was the last in their current form before the Staffords are amalgamated with other units.
They are to reform as The 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment later this year. The Freedom Parade marked the return of the battalion from their second operational tour of Iraq.
Bearing rifles and swords, they paraded in front of their Colonel-in-Chief, the Duke of York, who also presented Iraq medals and bravery citations.
The battalion was deployed in Basra, in southern Iraq, between October last year and April this year, during which it took part in numerous raids and operations.
They had previously completed a six month operational tour of Maysaan province, in Iraq, in 2005.
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