Local Regiment Exercises Its Freedom of Guildford to Mark D-Day Anniversary

Published on: 9 Jun, 2024
Updated on: 9 Jun, 2024

The Colour Party of 4th Battalion Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. Each regiment has two colours (flags) the King’s Colour with a Union Flag design and a Regimental Colour. Traditionally they would act as rallying points in battle. They are also revered as representing all those who have served the regiment, especially those who have fallen in battle and bear the battle honours awarded to the regiment.

By Martin Giles

In an event planned to be Surrey’s Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, the county’s local infantry regiment exercised its Freedom of Guildford yesterday by marching up the High Street with bayonets fixed, Colours flying and drums beating.

“Right dress!” The soldiers look to their right to check their alignment.

It was the first time it had done so since 2018. The soldiers on parade were of the 4th Volunteer Battalion of the Princess of Wales’s Regiment (PWRR), known as “The Tigers”, which recruits from Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and Middlesex.

The following video shows the parade ascending the High Street, The Lord Lieutenant of Surrey and the Mayor of Guildford in procession to their dais outside Holy Trinity Church and then the inspection of the parade and finally the march off…

The parade comprising a colour party, two escort divisions and a regimental band augmented by fanfare trumpeters, came to a halt at the top of the High Street outside Holy Trinity Church and gave a general salute to His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Mr Michael More-Molyneux.

A welcome to Guildford was given by the Mayor of Guildford, Sallie Barker, and responded to by Colonel (retired) Patrick Crowley, Deputy Colonel of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.

Col Patrick Crowley addresses the parade explaining the connection between Guildford and the local infantry regiment.

Col Crowley, who was educated at St Peter’s School,  explained the regiment’s history, its connection with Guildford and the roles its former regiments, including The Queen’s Royal Regiment which had its depot in Stoughton, carried out on D-day in Normandy and in other theatres of the Second World War at that time.

The Lord Lieutenant and the Mayor then carried out an inspection, speaking to several of the soldiers.

The Padre of the 4th Battalion PWRR, the Rev’d Nick Sharpe, gave a short address and recited the Regimental Prayer. The Lord Lieutenant, having already given a reading, led three cheers for the regiment before the parade ended with the National Anthem.

Parade over, the part-time soldiers are soon due to travel to Germany for a training exercise.

The regimental flag flies over Abbot’s Hospital.

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