Loved ones urge big turnout for Royal Anglian soldiers' parade in Southend (From Echo)
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Loved ones urge big turnout for Royal Anglian soldiers' parade in Southend
5:00pm Tuesday 16th March 2010 in
LOVED ones of soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment are urging the people of Southend to support the regiment’s homecoming parade through the town in June.
About 200 soldiers from 1st Battalion, are due to take part in the march, on June 17.
The families and friends of soldiers in the regiment, currently on a tour of duty in Afghanistan, would like the public to turn out and make the parade a day to remember.
Jeannie Hughes, 50, will be travelling from her home near Epping, with her family to show her support for her Royal Anglian son Mark, 24, and his comrades.
She said: “It’s great for people to show their support. Whether you believe in the war or not, the job has to be done. There is no better way to show support than to turn up in the street with banners and cheer them on.
“It will mean a huge amount if they are publicly acknowledged for what they have done.
“They put their lives on the line every day for our safety and our future, so I think it’s fantastic there is going to be a parade for them.”
Fellow Viking mum, Maggie Griffiths, 52, will also be cheering the troops’ return – her son Mark, 27, is on his fourth tour of duty with the Vikings.
Mrs Griffiths, from Romford, said: “We’ll be down here big-time. I’ve volunteered to help with whatever I can.
“I already have a T-shirt for it – it says ‘My boy is back in town’.
“I don’t have the guts to do their job, I don’t think many people do. This sort of thing should be made more of. They are heroes.”
Comments(11)
Royr
says...
8:27pm Tue 16 Mar 10
Time and place?
Iron Mighty
says...
8:49pm Tue 16 Mar 10
Sim0n
says...
10:07pm Tue 16 Mar 10
bob7
says...
12:52am Wed 17 Mar 10
gripe
says...
7:53am Wed 17 Mar 10
seasider2010
says...
1:21pm Wed 17 Mar 10
The diary has been cleared although haven't told the boss yet. He will just have to come along as well.
No details on the regiment web-site yet but hopefully the Echo will let us know in good time.
geezer, innit
says...
4:31pm Wed 17 Mar 10
They're doing their job, professionally and deserve the biggest respect for that
siddymint
says...
7:04am Thu 18 Mar 10
twirlgirl
says...
4:42pm Thu 18 Mar 10
siddymint wrote:So agree with you there siddymint, shops should shut for the parade at least. Lets just hope their *big bosses* will allow them to do so. I will be there to support our great men and women.
will be there and bringing everyone I can . I hope every Councillor and offical will be there, in fact every Southend resident. Any company/ shop in Southend should close for a short time to allow this
seasider2010
says...
9:51am Fri 19 Mar 10
Yep, my boss is up for closing. The Echo could do a special edition. A business pays, say, £25 and gets an advert supporting the day and saying they are closing for an hour etc. They could also get a poster to put in their window explaining the same
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BASILBRUSH says...
7:03pm Tue 16 Mar 10