Soldiers hold homecoming parade

Soldiers who have recently returned from tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan have marched in a homecoming parade through Portsmouth.

The 1st Battalion Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment was greeted with loud applause and cheering from a crowd of hundreds in Guildhall Square.

The soldiers, known as the Tigers, then marched through the town led by their red-coated Kohima Band.

The regiment is taking part in eight parades over the next week.

HOMECOMING PARADE
By the BBC's Alison Harper in Portsmouth
"Spine tingling", "choked", "it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up" - all descriptions of the homecoming parade of the 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment. And the words did not come from spectators, but from returning soldiers themselves.
As for the crowds watching the parade in Portsmouth, they cheered as soon as the regimental band struck up. Union flags fluttered in the sunshine; tears of pride and sadness fell for the "local boys" and for the dead and injured.
But despite universal support for the soldiers, there was no consensus on the British mission in Afghanistan.
Some believed it was not our war to fight; that troops should pull out immediately, the loss of life already too great. Others believed if the British leave Afghanistan the terrorist threat on our streets would escalate.
Cpt Jay Smith told me that for many it was just half an hour to say thanks for six months where lives are at risk daily. Thirty minutes which the soldiers described as priceless.

The unit was the only one operating the Warrior fighting vehicle, providing back-up on the front line.

Eight of the regiment's soldiers were seriously wounded in Afghanistan, but all are recovering well.

But thoughts turned to Pte John Brackpool, 27, who was killed last week during one of the UK's bloodiest periods in Afghanistan.

Pte Brackpool, of Prince of Wales' Company, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, had once been a Tiger.

Monday's parade through the city followed an inspection of the troops by the city's lord mayor, who awarded medals to some soldiers.

On Saturday, the first of eight parades was held in Worthing, Sussex, while Southampton and Romsey, in Hampshire, will hold parades on Tuesday.

The battalion will march through Guildford, Surrey, on Wednesday, Lewes, Sussex, on Thursday, Tunbridge Wells and Canterbury, both in Kent, on Friday and Saturday respectively.

The soldiers recently returned from their base in Germany.

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