Massive turnout for Marines at homecoming parade

Another day, another heart-warming parade for the returning heroes of the Royal Marines – in this case the men and women of the Commando Logistic Regiment, fresh from a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan.

A crowd some 11,000 strong turned out on the streets of Barnstaple – that’s more than half of the small North Devon town’s populace – during one of the most memorable days in the regiment’s history.

In the sunshine and cloudless sky, the CLR men and women from Chivenor, a couple of miles outside Barnstaple, marched proudly through the market town to the cheers and applause of their families, friends and locals who jumped at the opportunity, in the words of the mayor Cllr Ian Roome, “to say welcome back”.

As well as thousands of Devonians in Barnstaple to greet the regiment, the Captain General Royal Marines HRH the Duke of Edinburgh took the salute before returning with the troops to their base to preside over an official medal ceremony.

The Duke presented many of the medals himself before making a speech, acknowledging the support network provided by the friends and families of Service personnel.

Events in North Devon come hot on the heels of parades by CLR’s parent unit 3 Commando Brigade in Plymouth and Exeter, which saw huge turnouts as the public thanked the brigade for the sacrifices made on the nation’s behalf during the past six months in Helmand province.

In the case of the Commando Logistic Regiment, its duties were to maintain vehicles, run combat logistic patrols – delivering crucial supplies to outlying bases – provide medics to front-line bases and act as mentors to the Afghan National Security Force.

“The rapturous applause as they were led on the parade by the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines was a true testament of the jubilation felt by ever single person,”

said Lt Paul Falconer, Officer Commanding CLR’s Combat Forward Surgical Group Medical Squadron.

“It was plain to see from the smiles that everyone had a good time.

“The Royal Marines have been at RMB Chivenor since October 1995, but never has the bond between the public and the troops been so strong.”