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 The
Territorial Army (TA) in Surrey
will launch its county celebrations for
TA100 - the centenary of the Territorial
Army - with a special parade through Guildford
High Street on Saturday 5 April.
Parade
Details:
Guildford Town Centre
2pm on Saturday 5 April, 2008
Residents, visitors and workers in the
town centre will be able to watch around
200 Territorial soldiers march in the
parade together with The Princess of Wales'
Royal Regiment (3 PWRR) Kohima Band and
Corps of Drums.
Mayor of Guildford, Cllr Mike Nevins,
says: "We are very pleased that
Guildford can host this parade as part
of the TA centenary celebrations and will
help kick off a programme of county events
for the year. We hope that as many people
as possible from across Surrey will come
along to the parade and give the soldiers
a really warm welcome."
There are five TA units in Surrey situated
in Farnham, Camberley, Redhill, Reigate
and Chertsey. The TA provides 1,200 troops
each year in support of regular operations
and some of the 77 Surrey TA volunteer
soldiers who were deployed on overseas
operations in the past few years will
take part in the parade.
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Kumik, Commanding
Officer 103 Battalion Royal Electrical
and Mechanical Engineers (REME), who will
be leading the parade, says: "The
Territorial Army has delivered fighting
soldiers and units at times of need. This
has ranged from the demands of two world
wars and now to support enduring operations
in Iraq and Afghanistan. The TA has achieved
this through the enthusiasm, professionalism
and adaptability of its members. This
parade is the Army celebrating their contribution."
Chairman of Surrey County Council, Mrs
Angela Fraser, says: "Surrey
has a long and distinguished military
tradition, and for 100 years has made
a strong contribution to the Territorial
Army. In recent years, we have been proud
that many of our Territorial Army personnel
have served alongside their regular counterparts
on operations worldwide. Particularly
noteworthy at the moment is the contribution
of the Territorial Army to OP.TELIC in
Iraq and OP.HERRICK in Afghanistan. The
Territorial Army is an integral part of
the British Army and I wish its members
success in its second century."
The parade will assemble in Portsmouth
Road Car Park (which will be closed to
the general public for the day), leave
from Town Bridge at 2pm and march up the
High Street to Holy Trinity Church. Following
a short service outside the church the
parade will reform, turn left at the George
Abbot statue and continue down North Street
back to the Portsmouth Road Car Park.
We anticipate that the event will end
by approximately 2.45pm.
The High Street will be the focal point
of the parade and although normal road
closures apply, crowd control barriers
will also be erected in the High Street
from 12 noon to around 3pm. The police
will control the closures and the traffic
on the parade route as necessary.
For further
information on the parade please visit:
www.guildford.gov.uk
For details of the TA100 celebrations
throughout the year visit: www.ta100.co.uk
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