Welcome back for heroes

A Black Watch soldier who lost both legs in an explosion in Afghanistan will be among those to receive a heroes’ welcome home next month. The Fife man is one of the few members of the 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) to be seriously injured during their current six-month tour in Helmand Province.

A BLACK WATCH soldier who lost both legs in an explosion in Afghanistan will be among those to receive a heroes’ welcome home next month.

The Fife man is one of the few members of the 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) to be seriously injured during their current sixmonth tour in Helmand Province.

Homecoming parades will be held in Tayside and Fife on April 19 and 20, with an estimated 350 troops and former soldiers expected to be involved.

Major Ronnie Proctor of The Black Watch Association yesterday said the town and city centre marches played an important role in boosting morale, particularly for those injured.

He added: “I think it has been a very successful tour to date, although they still have a month left to go.

“I have only heard of one really bad injury and that was a boy from Fife whose father I used to serve with. He lost both of his legs.”

Around 500 of the Black Watch soldiers are stationed in Lashkar Gah, preparing for the handover of control to Afghan authorities as part of the tour of duty.

The battalion has been responsible for province patrolling, maintaining a presence, training people and working with security forces.

Thousands of well-wishers lined the streets of communities across Scotland on the battalion’s last return from duty over two years ago, when they were based in Kandahar.

This year’s celebrations have been requested by Lt Col Edward Fenton.

The commanding officer has frequently expressed his belief that homecoming parades are an essential part of maintaining links to local communities and a chance for his men to show their appreciation for the support they have received.

Angus Council Licensing Board will tomorrow be asked to rubber stamp arrangements for a parade that will see members of the battalion march through the streets of Forfar.

Food and refreshments will be provided before and after the event, with a cost in the region of £700 to be met from the authority’s corporate hospitality budget.

The council’s hospitality sub-group has already agreed to help stage the ceremony in principle and committee members are expected to approve the move.

Following the Forfar ceremony, the group is expected to travel to Kirkcaldy for a second parade.

The next day the battalion is scheduled to appear first in Dundee and then Perth, where the soldiers will assemble on Rose Terrace before proceeding through the town centre to gather on the North Inch.

The Blackwatch was granted the Freedom of the City of Perth in 1947 and will exercise its right to march with “drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed.”

A march through the streets of Inverness will be held due to the battalion currently being based at nearby Fort George.