Basra tour soldiers want Birmingham to stage homecoming parade

Mar 16 2009 By Paul Bradley in Basra

Warrant Officer 2nd Class Mike Malin, aged 38, a father of two, from Woodgate Valley, said: “You expect to be in harm’s way when you are on the streets of Afghanistan or Iraq but you do not expect to be a target in the supposedly peaceful region of Northern Ireland.

“Belfast looks like Birmingham in many ways, and it was always weird to be on armed patrols in a city that looked a lot like home.

“The last thing we want is a return to the bad old days.”

It is now possible that the only homecoming parade the Queen’s Royal Hussars will have is in Paderborn, Germany, where they were stationed before being deployed to Iraq.

But soldiers from the regiment believe it would be fitting to hold the ceremony in Birmingham.

WO 2 Malin added: “It makes a huge difference out here to have the support of folk back at home. It makes the guys realise that we are doing something worthwhile. There are lots of guys in the regiment who have Irish surnames but are actually from the West Midlands.

“We would love to have a homecoming parade in Birmingham. I think there is generally a feeling akin to the 1940s when people realised their boys were out there doing it for them.

“More and more people are recognising that we are making the ultimate sacrifice on a regular basis. The last time we had a parade in Birmingham it nearly brought a tear to my eye, and that’s coming from a rough and tough soldier.

“But it really is that significant and a really proud day for all of us.”

* Two British soldiers who died in an explosion in Afghanistan were today expected to be named by the Ministry of Defence.

The pair from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, serving with 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, were killed in a blast in the Garmsir district of southern Helmand. They were travelling in a Jackal, an off-road armoured vehicle, when they were killed.

Their deaths followed the news that Lance Corporal Christopher Harkett, aged 22, from Pontardawe in Swansea, died on Saturday in a blast in Musa Qala District Centre, Northern Helmand. He was killed while providing covering fire for fellow soldiers.