An Important Day In History

 

At 11.30 hrs on Saturday the 25th of April 2009, the Royal Welsh received the Freedom of The Royal Town of Caernarfon.
The ceremony took place on Castle Square Caernarfon and we are pleased to be able to give you the full run down of the historical event as well as an exclusive video here on Caernarfon Online.

The weather was kind to us all as Caernarfon witnessed one of the best days in its history. As the Caernarfon Online team circulated within the spectators many present were heard saying how "well organised" the whole event was. Dilys Jones of Caernarfon said "This is what the town needed and not that rusty old Ferris wheel we get every summer". Barry Williams of Caernarfon told us "Caernarfon has today regained some of its history and culture, which has been lost over the years with shabby second rate events". Silvia Jones of Llanberis said "The whole event was tremendous from beginning to end and goes to show how patriotic we can be where our soldiers are concerned". Endaf Parry of Caernarfon told us "I took my son here today he is only five and he really enjoyed it. It is such a shame Caernarfon doesn't put on more events of this nature, if it wasn't for the article on Caernarfon Online then I would have missed it all".

Today was all about locals and visitors enjoying a wonderful day in our history and everyone seemed to have returned home having done just that.

Crowds had started to gather on Castle Square as early as 10.30am just as the barriers were erected by the police and a small group of volunteers. (Special  thanks must go to Glyn Dickinson and Mike Lambert Jones for providing a first class PA system which filled all four corners of the new Maes). The Royal Welsh Fusiliers had received the Freedom of the Borough of Caernarfon way back in 1946 but this was the firsttime they received the award from a Royal Town.

Three hundred soldiers took part in the ceremony and attracted an estimated crowd of well over a thousand people to the square. The soon to be retiring mayor, Councillor Myfi Powell Jones gave a warm bilingual speech in what was be her largest and arguably most important public ceremony to date.

After the ceremony the soldiers marched around the castle and having given the official salute to the mayor and council on the steps of Caernarfon Castle, they then continued with their march through the square, up Bridge Street and then Bangor Street finally stopping at the Celtic Royal Hotel for refreshments and a buffet lunch.

On behalf of the good people of our town, Caernarfon Online would like to thank everyone involved for a wonderful event.

Programme

11.30 hrs.                      The Mayor of Caernarfon Royal Town Council, Councillor Myfi Powell Jones, accompanied by Colonel                                      G.H. Wheeler, O.B.E. (representing the Colonel of the Regiment, Major General R.J.M. Porter, M.B.E.)                                       are received with a General Salute.

 

The Mayor inspects the Parade.

The Mayor will address the Parade and will present to the Colonel of the Regiment, the parchment scroll recording the presentation of the Freedom of the Royal Town of Caernarfon.

 

The Colonel of the Regiment replies on behalf of the Regiment.

 

The Parade advances in Review order and gives a General Salute.

 

The Parade Commander requests permission from the Mayor to exercise the right to march through the Royal Town of Caernarfon.

 

The Mayor retires.

 

12.30 hrs.                     The Parade marches off from Castle Square around the Castle, and to the Celtic Royal Hotel.

                                    The Mayor accompanied by the Colonel of the Regiment and the saluting party parade to the Castle                                      Steps to accept the Salute.

12.35 hrs  approx.        The Parade marches past the Mayor.

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Composition of Parade

1st Battalion The Royal Welsh (Royal Welch Fusiliers)

Parade Commander

Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel N.J. Lock

Senior Major

Major C.G. Vere-Whiting

Adjutant

Captain J.M. Harries

Colour Party

The Queen's Colour - 2 Lt. S.J. Healey
The Regimental Colour - 2 Lt. A.T. Libbey
Warrant Officer Class 2 P. Harvey
Colour Sergeant M. Cornish
Colour Sergeant S. Williams

Number 1 Guard (B Company)                                            Number 2 Guard (D Company)
Major E.G. Hill                                                                   Major E.C.N. Harris
Warrant Officer Class 2 M. Evans                                                Warrant Officer Class 2 S. Johns

Regimental Sergeant Major

Warrant Officer Class 1 W. Roberts

Bandmaster for the Band of the Mercian Regiment
Warrant Officer Class 1 (Bandmaster) A.J. Evans, B.A.(Mus), L.R.A.M.