Fusilier parade celebrates birthday
My England misery
FIVE decades of service was celebrated yesterday as a parade of 700 Fusiliers, reservists, veterans and cadets marched through the streets of Newcastle on the 50th anniversary of its formation.
Organised by The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, the regiment celebrated the 50th birthday.
Members of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, marched from Ceremonial Way at the Civic Centre to the Cathedral of St Nicholas for St George’s Day.
Ahead of the march, the Colonel of the Regiment major general Paul Nanson CBE and the Lord Mayor of Newcastle Linda Wright inspected the troops.
They then presented the speciallystruck Fusilier 50 Commemoration medal, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the regiment.
Carole Lynch, 72, said watching the parade was “very moving”.
She added: “It’s amazing to see and it is good that events like this take place.”
Les Hadfield, 77, said: “It makes you proud to be British.”
Following the commemorative service at the cathedral, a second parade passed ‘The Gate’, War Memorial, Northumberland Street and arrived back at Ceremonial Way.
To mark St George’s Day recruits sported red and white feathered hackles in their beret. The marching band in their scarlet tunics An onlooker enjoying the parade Veterans march in Newcastle celebrating 50 years of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers MICHAEL Carrick says playing for England had such a negative impact on his mental health he asked not to be selected for the national side.
The Manchester United midfielder and former Wallsend Boys Club player said travelling with the team “made me really down”.
Carrick was interviewed by Gabby Logan for the BBC’s The Premier League Show.
The 36-year-old said: “I had been in the squad a long time and, I’ll be honest, I was finding it hard going away with England.
“I didn’t mind going away with United pre-season for the three weeks and then coming back.
“But going away with England was almost depressing in a way, it made me really down.”
Some players have said Carrick was misused by England during his career.
The Newcastle-born midfielder has also played for West Ham and Tottenham. But he revealed he asked the FA not to include him following the 2010 World Cup.