Home from Afghanistan: Marlborough welcomes soldiers of its adopted battalion

With the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Houghton and the Mayor in attendance, Marlborough  welcomed  home from Afghanistan eighty soldiers of 45 Company of the town’s adopted battalion, 4 Military Intelligence Battalion.

They were joined by 150 of their colleagues exercising the Battalion’s right as holders of the Freedom of Marlborough to march through the town’s streets.  They were accompanied by the band of the Grenadier Guards.

About 282 men and women of the 4MI have been on operational duties in Afghanistan.  General Houghton called them the “unsung heroes of operations…savers and protectors of lives” (click here to read his speech) of their fellow servicemen and women and of civilians.

On a chilly but dry morning (Thursday, November 28), the soldiers and members of the band assembled at the College in front of the Memorial Hall for a group photo with General Houghton.  

They then moved off to the stirring march Colchester Castle – under the College footbridge, round St Peter’s Church and into a High Street empty of cars but with a good crowd of well-wishers including several enthusiastic groups of young, flag-waving children.

The cloud cover was too low for the planned flypast by Chinook helicopters – the workhorse for our troops in Afghanistan.  But there was the first appearance in Marlborough of the Battalion’s mascot – a greyhound called Blue.

A greyhound was selected as mascot for the battalion to match the greyhounds – or royal hunting dogs of Savernake Forest – that appear on Marlborough’s coat of arms.  Blue was chosen just after he retired from racing and was adopted by one of the soldiers.

Previously he had been rather spooked by band music, but he came successfully through the rehearsals for this event and was on parade in Marlborough in his regimental coat and badged collar.  Walking right behind the band, he behaved impeccably and provides another firm connection with the town.

Operational medals were presented to 37 members of the Battalion’s 45 Company.  Their officer commanding, Major Jim Holl told Marlborough News Online that the last of the men he took to Afghanistan only got back ten days ago.  He said their deployment of just under eight months had been a great success and he was sure that the Afghan army was now well prepared to assume its security role.

After the presentation of medals, General Houghton addressed the troops, the Mayor and Town Council, the group of relatives and veterans – and the people of Marlborough.  “It is,” he said, “a delight to be here.”

General Houghton who was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff last July, thanked Marlborough for its “quite emotional reception” of the troops who had been in Afghanistan.

“I think the links that exist at a local level in towns such as Marlborough and units of the Army and the Armed Forces are fundamental in helping those units when they deploy on operations and the knowledge that they have that close association and close support.”

He wanted the parade to celebrate the service of the battalion and their safe homecoming. But he saw a second aim: “It’s a celebration of the special bond of friendship that exists between Marlborough and not just this Battalion but the army as well.”

And he had a special word for the relatives who were there: “They agonise for every minute that soldiers, sailors or airmen are away.”

The General, a Yorkshire man, warned the guests that the Intelligence Corps was known for its intelligence rather than its marching skills – adding that they would march through the town as proud as any other soldier of the British army.

However, as the parade marched off down New Road and then back into the High Street, one old and be-medalled soldier watching them judged their drill and marching skills to be ‘pretty damned good’ – and said as much to a passing NCO, who was delighted.

After the men and women of the band of the Grenadier Guards and the men and women of 4MI had left the High Street, there was another ‘medal’ ceremony.  Special ‘medals’ were given to children of families of battalion members who had watched the parade.  

And as there were a few ‘medals’ left over – some of the youngsters who had come out to support the Battalion’s men and women got a ‘medal’ too.