Recent Engagements

The Band of The Prince of Wales's Division recently travelled throughout the Towns of Nottinghamshire in support of 2 Mercian Regiment. The regiment enjoy tremendous support from the local communities in this area and these Parades and Marches were an opportunity to say a big thank you to both families and friends.  

Capt Sean Riley led the first set of Marches and WO1 Troy Taylor-Smith the second, both through a dizzying array of towns which took two weeks to complete all the parades.  We paraded through: Long Eaton, Ilkeston, Oldbury, Retford, Kidderminster, Bewdely, Glossop, Ripley, Newark, Southwell, Mansfield, Matlock, Chesterfield, and finally the last Town, Redditch on the 20th of March - 15 Towns in just over 15 days. It was a long journey and, when I could, I took the chance to chat to a few of the lads (usually over a brew) they were always very honest and enlightening. Many had just come home from a six month tour in Afghanistan; amid them was LCpl Ross Polkey. He had been among 300 soldiers from the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters), who took part in these parades. All the Parades were held to exercise the regiment's Freedom of the Borough of Erewash, and in so doing, also honouring Lance Sergeant Dave Greenhalgh, 25, from Ilkeston, who died after his vehicle set off a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Ross said that he was proud to take part in the first Parade in Long Eaton and was looking forward to the next fortnight. Today, he would join his colleagues along High Street, Old Market Place and Tamworth Road before saluting the Cenotaph outside St Laurence's Church.

On Saturday afternoon the troops paraded through Ilkeston, marching in Derby Road, up South Street and through the Market Place, where a salute was taken outside the Town Hall, before finishing the March along Bath Street. This proved to be the format for all the oncoming marches and by the end of the fortnight, the street names had started to blur, but not the towns.  This was mainly due to the rapturous receptions we received from each individual town that we visited, in total, thousands of individuals had come out to support us and it meant a lot to see the population was showing an interest in its troops.

One soldier who received a great deal of attention from both civilians and soldiers was Private Derby, whose correct title is Private Derby 'XXIX'. He of course is the Regimental Mascot and Marched behind the Band throughout the week. The dictionary defines mascots as deemed to bring good luck and such Mascots are indicative of the recruiting area served by Regiments such as 2 Mercian, in this case a - Derby Ram. Private Derby 'XXIX' has been a Regimental Mascot of the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment, the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), the Worcester and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th) and of course, the Mercian Regiment.

Saturday the 20 March saw the Band and Troops reach their final destination of Redditch. This parade was a little different in which we would be performing a Drum Head Service, the conditions did not help as they were wet and windy which was not ideal. A highlight was the performance of the Last Post, Musn Johnson stepping forward to play this solemn melody. Luckily the elements did not distract him and he turned in a beautiful presentation.

The parades are a chance for the military to thank the towns for there support during what proved to be a tough tour of Afghanistan. Mine and the Band's overriding memory of the fortnight will be all the support that people gave: children in schools, shopkeepers, shoppers and, onlookers that had made special journeys from outside Town. All had come to show the Troops that their work was appreciated.  They all showed a sense of pride in support, especially in the work that their soldiers had done - all were grateful to see and welcome the pride of the County safely home.