On Friday 29 June 2007, four squadrons of soldiers from 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) marched through Woodbridge in formal acceptance of the Freedom of the Town of Woodbridge, with bayonets fixed and accompanied by the regimental band and "old soldiers."

Since the summer of 2006, 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) have been housed in their new home at Rock Barracks, the former RAF Woodbridge, a few miles out of town. On Saturday 30 June, the army held a Military Open Day at Rock Barracks.

The parade assembled in Burkitt Road and marched down through Market Hill, giving an "eyes right" salute. The salute was taken by the Mayor of Woodbridge, Nigel Barratt. The Market Hill photographs were taken by Linn Barringer.

1. Lieutenant Colonel Ian Hutchison OBE, CO of 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault)

 

2. After a short shower, a bright sunny spell in Market Hill.

 

3. School children gathered in front of The Bull Hotel. Brollies up again for a brief shower.

 

4. Mr & Mrs Gibbons checking on the state of the weather. It looks like it may hold...

 

5. An "old soldier" waiting in the sunshine, chatting with the growing crowd.

 

6. Civic and military dignitaries settle down to take the salute in Market Hill, the historical town centre of Woodbridge.
On the dais are Major General Sir Peter Wall CBE, left, and Nigel Barratt, Mayor of Woodbridge. Sitting right beside the dais is Chelsea Pensioner Mr Eric Borlass.

 

A letter from the Mayor of Woodbridge:

12th July, 2007

Sir,

Fans of Broadway musicals (and Barbara Streisand) will recognise the lines -

“I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer.
Nobody, no, nobody
Is gonna rain on my parade!”

The morning and afternoon of 29th June saw a lot of rain in Woodbridge, but it certainly did not rain on 23 Regiment (Air Support) over lunchtime. The Regiment put on a magnificent (and dry) parade, and as Town Mayor I would like to thank them for demonstrating in grand style the rights granted to them to march through the Town with "swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, band playing and colours flying.''

The route of the march was particularly apt as many of the officers of the huge garrison (Old Barrack Road) commanded by the Duke of Cumberland were billeted on Market Hill. With 635 cavalrymen and around 4,000 troops, the town may have seen similar parades then, but I doubt as impressive as this display 200 years later. What is also beyond doubt is that the regimental band in the parade, and later beating the retreat, added a highly professional and striking dimension.

While the early connections of Woodbridge with the armed services may have died out after Napoleon, the last half century saw the RAF and USAF at Woodbridge and Bentwaters air bases. The recent ‘peace dividend’ saw both airfields becoming largely redundant, and it is very pleasing to see RAF Woodbridge come back into use as Rock Barracks housing 23 Regiment.

My thanks also to the town of Woodbridge for turning out in such large numbers to the parade, and I hope that everybody will agree that we wish 23 Regiment well in their endeavours, and we are truly grateful to them for the manner in which they serve our country. I am certain that all the soldiers and their families will prove an asset to the Woodbridge community.

Nigel Barratt
Woodbridge Town Mayor

Shire Hall,
Woodbridge
IP12 4LP

 

7. The first squadron arrives in Market Hill, led by a sword-carrying Lieutenant Colonel Ian Hutchison OBE, Commanding Officer of 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) to the distant sound of the marching band, shown again in the "close-up" section cut out of the above photo, below:

 

8. Eyes..... RIGHT!

 

9. More squadrons (yes, they are squadrons) march through Market Hill.

 

10. And another squadron, eyes right.

 

11. As the squadron passes the Shire Hall, fixed bayonets are clearly on view.

 

12. After the fourth(?) squadron, the Regimental Band.

 

13. The Regimental Band salutes the civic and military dignitaries.

You can listen to the band in a short video clip at the end of this page .

 

14. Last but definitely not least, representatives of the "old brigade."

 

---

 

The parade then made its way down Church Street and into Quay Street,
where Penny Moon took the following photographs

 

15. The squadrons march down Quay Street, past the Captain's Table restaurant.

 

16. 23 Engineer Regiment marching right past a pub, eyes front!

 

17. Fixed bayonets in Quay Street.

 

18. Another squadron passes The Anchor public house.

 

19. The rifles and fixed bayonets of this squadron were shining in the sun.

 

20. The Regimental Band march past The Anchor public house in Quay Street.

 

21. And bringing up the rear, the "old soldiers" proudly marching with 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault).

 

Don't you wish you could hear that band playing?

You can, in this short video clip of the Regimental Band marching through Market Hill (1.6mb)

The following day, 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) opened Rock Barracks to the public.