Soliders to march through Bradford

Soldiers from the 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment will march into Centenary Square led by the Band of the The Parachute Regiment on Sunday, November 6, with the parade beginning at 11.40am.

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Coun Naveeda Ikram will be invited to inspect the troops and also present will be the regiment’s mascot and Regimental Pony, Pegasus.

They will then will march along Sunbridge Road, Upper Millergate, Kirkgate, Bank Street, Hall Ings, Bridge Street, and back to the Civic Hall where the military and civic dignitaries will then take the salute as the troops march past.

This is the first time that the battalion has exercised this ancient right to march through the streets after they were awarded the Freedom of Bradford in May last year at a special ceremony at Bradford City Hall.

Coun Ikram, said last night: “I am very proud to be invited to inspect the troops and delighted that the 4th Battalion of The Parachute Regiment have chosen to exercise their Freedom rights to march through the city in the lead-up to Remembrance Day.

“I look forward to expressing on behalf of the city our appreciation of what the Armed Forces do for our country and feel sure it will be a day to remember.”

Soldiers from 4th Battalion have recently returned from Afghanistan where they served alongside their regular counterparts, where one of the 75 who deployed, Private Conrad Lewis, 22, was killed in action.

The battalion’s headquarters are in Pudsey, Leeds, and they have companies and detachments in a number of different locations. Over the past decade, 4 PARA has provided more soldiers for operations than any other TA infantry battalion.