Crowds applaud Royal Welsh as they march through Llandudno

Sep 23 2010 by Judith Phillips, North Wales Weekly News

THOUSANDS lined the streets of Llandudno on Saturday to applaud the Royal Welsh Fusiliers as they marched through the town to receive the freedom of Conwy county after their return from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

As the soldiers of the 1st Battalion, led by the regimental band and mascot Billy, who was selected last year from the Great Orme herd of feral goats, marched up Mostyn Street, spontaneous clapping erupted from the crowds.

During its time in Afghanistan the battalion uncovered the biggest cache of insurgent arms so far found, and worked with Afghan forces to ensure the safety of civilians in the conflict zone.

At the cenotaph, Conwy Council chairman Brenda Taylor inspected the troops and handed the Freedom scroll to commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Nick Lock.

She said: “It gives me great pleasure to grant the freedom of the county borough to the Royal Welsh.

“To recognise the role the Royal Welsh and its predecessors have played in representing the British armed forces, and also to consolidate the freedoms that already exist for part of the borough.”

Lt Col Lock said it was the third time the Royal Welsh had marched through Llandudno. The first time was in 1915 when the men were addressed by Prime Minister David Lloyd George before they went to fight in the First World War.

“We were granted the freedom of the town of Conwy in 1958 and exercised that by marching through Llandudno in 1989, and again in 1995 after active service in Bosnia,” he said.

He said three Military Crosses and 10 mentions in dispatches had been earned by his troops during their service in Afghanistan.

“But this hasn’t been without cost, and we remember those killed and seriously injured during active service,” he added.