Veterans to join Fusiliers parade
VETERANS and serving soldiers will march through Rochdale today (Saturday) to mark the 50th anniversary of an historic Army regiment.
Hundreds of spectators are expected to line the streets over two days of events.
The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was formed in 1968 by the amalgamation of four Fusilier regiments, including the famous Lancashire Fusiliers, and recruits from across Greater Manchester.
The regiment has been previously honoured with the freedom of Rochdale and Salford and Bury, where parades will also be held this weekend.
Colonel of the Regi- ment, Major General Paul Nanson CBE, will take part in each parade.
Cadets and civic guests will also march.
Col James Denny, Regimental Secretary for the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, said: “2018 is a very special year for the Regiment so we wanted to mark our 50th anniversary with a series of events that everybody could get involved with.
“The freedom parades in Bury, Rochdale and Salford will enable members from the wider Fusilier family and the general public to come out in force and join in our special anniversary celebrations.”
Since the regiment’s formation the Fusiliers have seen service across the world, including in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, the Balkans, the Gulf and Afghanistan.
The Regiment has two battalions – the First Fusiliers in Tidworth and the Fifth Fusiliers in Newcastle.
The Lancashire Fusiliers was an Army infantry unit based at the former Wellington Barracks in Bury.
They are famous for winning ‘six Victoria Crosses before breakfast’ in the First World War landings in Gallipoli, Turkey.
Bury is home to the Fusilier Museum, which records the deeds of the regiment’s soldiers through the centuries.
Rochdale’s parade starts at 11.15am on Saturday on Yorkshire Street.
It will then head into the pedestrian area, continue west down the pedestrian area and cross the bridge at the bottom of Yorkshire Street.
The parade will turn right on to the Esplanade, march past the Memorial Garden and continue to the rear of the Town Hall, where it will terminate.