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Rifles Regiment given Freedom of Leeds
CROWDS will gather in the centre of Leeds on Saturday – Yorkshire Day – to see The Rifles Regiment granted the Freedom of Leeds.
The homecoming parade and freedom ceremony were planned to coincide with Yorkshire Day, which this year is also the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Minden – one of the regiment's greatest battle honours.
It will be the second homecoming parade for troops in Leeds in just over a week following last Friday's celebrations for the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.
The Rifles will be represented by the 5th Battalion The Rifles, who were amongst the first troops in Iraq in 2003 and there at the end.
At 11am in Millennium Square The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Judith Elliott, and the vice Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Mr John Brennan, will inspect the soldiers, who will be wearing white roses in their caps in honour of Minden Day, which was adopted by the Yorkshire Ridings Society as Yorkshire Day.
Soldiers from the regiment's recruiting vehicles on Millennium Square and Briggate will be giving out white roses to people.
Coun Elliott will extend a civic welcome and convey the Freedom of the City on the battalion.
The Rifles will then exercise their freedom by marching through the city on a route taking in The Headrow, Briggate, King Edward Street, Vicar Lane and back to the Headrow and Millennium Square, where the dignitaries will take the salute at 11.45am.
Coun Elliott said: "It gives me great pleasure to extend a civic welcome to The Rifles Regiment, and I am delighted that they are to receive the Freedom of the City of Leeds, especially in view of the vital role they have played in Iraq since 2003.
"I am very much looking forward to what I'm sure will be a great occasion, and can promise the military personnel and their guests a very warm welcome from the people of Leeds."
Mr Brennan said: "It will be a great privilege to be present when The Rifles Regiment receives the Freedom of the City and exercises its right to parade through the city centre.
"The courage of our soldiers fills us all with pride and gratitude, and this event is a fitting opportunity to celebrate their service to their country."
The Rifles Regiment has close links with Yorkshire, one of its previous regiments being The Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI).
The KOYLI were one of only 6 regiments who fought at the Battle of Minden on August 1 1759 when they wore white roses in defeating the French.
Minden Day has since been celebrated annually by the regiment when the White Rose of Yorkshire is worn by all ranks in their caps.
See Friday's YEP for a Yorkshire Day quiz.
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
