Leader's Viewpoint - Mayor Munsif Dad - July 2014

Proud!  That’s how I, my fellow Councillors and the many people who came to Accrington or saw the Freedom Parade in the media felt to see the spectacular march in Accrington on the first of July.

It was a beautiful sunny day and the route was lined with thousands of Hyndburn folk, including lots of local schoolchildren, smiling, clapping, cheering, waving their Union Jack flags and giving The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment a loud, warm and totally rapturous welcome.

It was a big day in Hyndburn’s rich history and one which will live long in the minds and hearts of all those who were part of it. It was a day to make you proud whether you were in the Parade or in the crowds and what a year to have the honour and privilege of being Hyndburn’s Mayor.

I felt so proud because so many people came to Accrington and  so many of my fellow Mayors from across Lancashire joined me to see The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment exercise their Freedom of the Borough, highlighting the deep respect and support which exists across Hyndburn and across both Lancashire and the North West for the Regiment.

I’m also proud because I’ve been lucky to witness first-hand the immense professionalism of the Regiment, reflected in each of the 120 kingsmen of the 1st Battalion who represented the Regiment at the Freedom Parade.

The Regiment has a rich and distinguished history which can be traced back to the 1680. Known now as ‘The Lions of England,’ the Regiment’s predecessors have been involved in many historic events, including The American War of Independence, Waterloo, The Crimean War and of course both World Wars.
During the Great War, the Regiment’s antecedents raised 176 battalions with 109 of those battalions seeing active service overseas, earning 124 battle honours and 43 Victoria Crosses.

One of those battalions was the 11th (Service) Battalion (Accrington), The East Lancashire Regiment, who we know locally as the Accrington Pals. On 1st July 1916, over 700 Accrington Pals left their trenches with the objective of capturing the village of Serre, suffering huge losses with many of their number wounded or killed, leaving hardly any family locally untouched.  On that day, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the British Army suffered almost 60,000 casualties.

Prior to the Freedom Parade we attended St John the Evangelist Church, where the Accrington Pals chapel is located, a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by the Accrington Pals and of the sacrifices that continue to be made by our Armed Forces in protecting our freedoms.

During the Second World War, the Regiment’s predecessors once again distinguished themselves, raising 67 battalions, earning 108 battle honours, including the ‘Normandy Landing’ battle honour for their role in capturing the initial beachheads on the D-Day landings, and 2 VCs

In more recent regimental history, the 1st July is an important date as it was on this date in 2006 that The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment was formed, following the merger of the The King’s Own Royal Border Regiment,  The King’s Regiment and The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment, .

Because of them, I and countless others, feel so proud.  The Freedom Parade on 1st July showed that the bonds between the civilian and armed forces communities remain strong and why the Armed of Forces of the United Kingdom are respected and revered around the world. It also created lots of happy memories which will stay with us all forever.