All five Foot Guards regiments given the Freedom of Birmingham

All five regiments of the Foot Guards have been granted the Freedom of the City of Birmingham, in what is believed to be a rare, if not unique, honour.

Around 230 officers and guardsmen marched through the city centre on 21 March to mark the occasion, with drums beating, bayonets fixed and colours flying.

The parade

The parade was led by Lieutenant Colonel Chris Ghika, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, with the Band of the Irish Guards. Those taking part included members of the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards and Welsh Guards. Most of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards have deployed to Afghanistan in the last few days.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Anita Ward, and Major General George Norton, who commands the Household Division, watched the parade. The Guards were then hosted at a civic reception at the Council House.

A family occasion

The day had a special meaning for the Lord Mayor, whose son, Lance Sergeant Vince Hockley, serves with the 1st Battalion Irish Guards. He has previously served in Afghanistan and was able to join his mother in Birmingham for the occasion.

"A very proud day"

Reading out the freedom declaration to the parade and the crowds in Victoria Square, Cllr Ward said: "First and foremost, as Lord Mayor, this is a very proud day for me and the people of Birmingham. Honouring the Guards Division with the freedom of the second city demonstrates our recognition of the commitment our young men and women make to the Armed Forces."

Major General Norton said: "All regiments of the Foot Guards are immensely grateful to the Lord Mayor and City of Birmingham for the honour they are conferring on us today, which reflects the long and close relationship that we have had with both the city and its community."

How it came about

The honour followed a petition of 2,000 names presented to the city council last summer, asking for one of the regiments to be given the freedom. Councillors then decided to grant it to all five.

What the freedom means

The Freedom of the City is one of the oldest honours a town or city can give. For a military unit, it grants the right to march through the city with drums beating, bayonets fixed and colours flying, a privilege dating back centuries to a time when armed soldiers entering a city was seen as a threat.

Birmingham has granted the freedom to a number of military units over the years, reflecting the city's long links with the armed forces. Many young men and women from Birmingham serve in the army, and the city has a proud history of military service, from the Birmingham Pals battalions of the First World War to the present day.

With British troops still serving in Afghanistan, the parade was also a chance for the city to show its support for those serving overseas, and crowds of onlookers gathered in Victoria Square to watch.