The Northamptonshire Regiment's Peterborough Branch takes part in the Battle of Talavera celebrations!!
A strong contingent of the Peterborough Branch proudly paraded with about a 100 Army veterans and marched through Northampton on Saturday to mark 200 years since the Northamptonshire Regiment received its most important battle honour, fighting in the Battle of Talavera as part of Wellington's Army.
Soldiers from C (Northamptonshire) Company, of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment also took part.
The Peterborough Branch's colour bearers Alec Francis and the Branch's Chairman Terry Edge proudly marched our colours through the streets of Northampton with tremendous support for the parade. Much applause and flags waving from all age groups from young to old!!
The Veterans on parade were inspected following the parade before a civic reception was held at the Guildhall, followed by the annual dinner in the evening and then a church service on Sunday morning.
On parade was Chelsea Pensioner John Ley ex RSM of the Northamptonshire Regiment's TA Battalion HQ company, which was based in Peterborough at the Lincoln Road and London Road Drill Halls in the mid 1950's along with his colleague Shack Shailes, who was a Sergeant Permanent Staff Instructor at the Peterborough HQ Company around about the same time.
Chelsea Pensioner Shack Shailes, aged 76, joined the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1948. He said: "When we went to Korea we marched through Northampton and I've never seen anything like this. It was a brilliant turnout."
All agreed "It was wonderful to see everyone so full of pride, it was a wonderful day."