Final preparations for homecoming parade
Hundreds of soldiers from the Royal Citadel's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery are to begin returning home next week as 3 Commando Brigade hands over security duties in Afghanistan.
In a bid to celebrate the work of the regiment in the war-torn region, and to pay tribute to those who did not make it home, a homecoming parade, a memorial service and a medal service are to be held on Friday, April 17.
Up to 500 Army commandos are likely to be involved in the event, and thousands of people are expected to fill the streets to welcome them home.
Lt Col Neil Wilson, commanding 29 Commando Regiment, said the commando gunners were looking forward to the event.
"April will be a time of celebration, and we look forward to the kind reception the city of Plymouth has planned for us on the morning of Friday, April 17," Lt Col Wilson said.
"It's rare that we have the occasion to exercise the regiment's freedom of the city, and so to be invited to conduct our medals parade in the centre of Plymouth, seat of so much kind support throughout our deployment, is a privilege indeed.
"Just as the city can be proud of what its forces have achieved over the last six months, we are also very proud of the city's unswerving support for us."
Events on April 17 will begin early, with a dawn service for the regiment's attached Australian contingent.
At 9.30am the regiment will march from its Citadel base down to St Andrew's Church.
Here the soldiers, including 29 Cdo Regt, Territorial Army soldiers, troops from Germany and Australia and attached rocket and radar personnel, will attend a private service of remembrance. Bereaved families and injured personnel on day release are also likely to attend the event.
At 11.30am the soldiers will leave the church and form up in the Guildhall car park.
They will then march to the Piazza on Armada Way in the city centre where the Lord Mayor will present service medals for the Afghanistan deployment.
They will then march back towards St Andrew's Church where they will continue to march up Royal Parade, around the fountain and back down.
The march will continue along Princess Street, Notte Street and Hoe Approach.
The Herald will be publishing a special 16-page supplement commemorating the event on April 15, which will include a free Union flag for readers.
HELMAND HERALD: factfile
THE HERALD has just finished the fifth edition of the successful Helmand Herald.
All the copy and pictures included in the editions have been filed from city-based servicemen serving in Afghanistan.
The Helmand Herald has been sent to Afghanistan, as well as to the families of the deployed personnel, to keep them up to date with developments.
Major Paul Greene, 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery's welfare officer, said: "The Helmand Herald has been simply out of this world.
"It has achieved exactly what we wanted, and that was to inform the hundreds of families what we were doing in Afghanistan.
"The whole project has worked out superbly and it has been the envy of a lot of units in Afghanistan."
Clare Jardine, deputy editor of The Herald, said: "It's been a pleasure to work with 29 Commando Regt to produce this special edition of The Herald.
"We're proud to be so closely involved with the unit."
It has been printed and published thanks to The Herald and its Derriford- based press.
PARKING: The arrangements
PLYMOUTH City Council's transport and highways department is making motorists aware that they will be prohibited from parking on numerous roads in Plymouth's city centre to allow the event to take place.
The no-parking zone is in force as a security measure.
Any vehicle found parking on any of the highlighted roads will be towed away.
The order will come into force at 12.01am on April 17 and continue in force until 2pm on that day.
Under the plans vehicles will be prohibited from driving on:
Royal Parade (eastbound and westbound carriageways) from its junction with Derrys Cross to its junction with St Andrew's Cross, and
St Andrew's Cross, for its entire length.
No vehicles will be allowed to wait at any time on either side of the following roads or lengths of road:
Hoe Road, from a point 70 metres west of its junction with Lambhay Hill, north-westwards to its junction with Hoe Approach
Hoe Approach, for its entire length
Notte Street, from its junction with Hoe Approach to its junction with Princess Street Ope
Princess Street Ope, for its entire length
Princess Street, from its junction with Catherine Street to its junction with Armada Way
Armada Way, from its junction with Princess Street to its junction with Guildhall Square
Catherine Street, for its entire length
St Andrew Street (northern section) for its entire length, and
Whimple Street, for its entire length.
Comment on this story