2 Mercian Return Home

04 December 2009
06 - 19 March 2010


On Friday 4th December 2009 around 450 soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) exercised their right to march through the City of Derby with fixed bayonets, drums beating and colours flying. 2 Mercian was formed on the 1 September 2007 from the 1st Battalion, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (WFR)>, they were granted the Freedom of the  City of Derby on their previous visit to the City in December 2007.


The Battalion had just returned from a gruelling six month tour of Afghanistan, this was their third tour of that country in four years.


Whilst in the City the soldiers attended a Service of Thanksgiving for their return in Derby Cathedral. They then formed up to march through the City, the march took approximately 25 minutes. The streets of Derby were lined by cheering crowds standing many deep.  During the march through the Cornmarket the Mayor of Derby, Councillor Sean Marshall, took the salute. The parade was dismissed in the Market Place, a civic reception then followed in the Assembly Rooms, where a number of soldiers were presented with their Afghanistan campaign medals by the Mayor. Similar events took place during that week in Nottingham and Worcester.


2 Mercian were again on parade in Derbyshire during March, marching through the principal towns in the County.  On the morning of Saturday 6th March they marched through Long Eaton and in the afternoon of that same day they marched through Ilkeston. Then on Monday 15th March they were again on parade when they marched through the streets of Ripley, the Battalion then marched through Ashbourne on the Thursday 18th March. And then on the following day they marched through Matlock in the morning and Chesterfield in the afternoon. Again similar events were held in towns of the counties of Worcestershire and Nottinghamshire where the Battalion carries out its recruitment.


The following pictures were taken in Derby on 4th December 2009