16 Air Assault Brigade exercises it's Freedom of Colchester June 2023

‘With swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, bands playing and Colours flying’ - but also in camouflage - 16 Air Assault Brigade has exercised its Freedom of Colchester.

Troops from Merville Barracks paraded through Colchester today (Thursday 22 June) to mark Armed Forces Day – the nation’s chance to show its support to the military. Some soldiers marched in ceremonial uniform and others in battledress carrying weapons and driving the vehicles they use on operations in the Brigade’s role as the British Army’s global response force.

Cheered on by the public and led by British Army Band Colchester, the parade took soldiers from the city’s War Memorial along the High Street. The salute was taken at the Town Hall by the Mayor of Colchester, Councillor John Jowers; the Lord-Lieutenant of Essex Jennifer Tolhurst; and Brigadier Nick Cowley, Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade.

It was the first time the freedom has been exercised since Colchester was granted city status as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, awarded in part due to its 200 years of service as a garrison.

Brigadier Cowley said: “It has been a fantastic occasion to celebrate the deep relationship between Colchester and 16 Air Assault Brigade. For our soldiers, this has been an illustration of the huge support we receive from Colchester, and I hope that will make all of them feel very proud. For the people of Colchester, this has been our way of saying thank you to the city, which provides a launchpad for us to deploy on operations safe in the knowledge that the local community understands what we do and embraces our families.”

2023 has already been a busy year for the brigade, with troops deployed to support earthquake relief efforts in Turkey, evacuate British civilians from Sudan, and training in Norway, Japan, Poland, and Estonia to be ready to respond to global crises alongside our allies.

Private Adam Allwood, of 16 Medical Regiment, was on parade and deployed on the Sudan evacuation. “Marching through Colchester with hundreds of people cheering us on made me feel really proud and a strong sense of gratitude and appreciation for what we do,” he said.

“It is a busy and demanding role serving in airborne forces. For Sudan, between being told were going and arriving in the country was about 36 hours and, at first, it was an overwhelming situation. But we were there and able to help people in need, and for me it was rewarding to get overseas and do the job I’ve trained for.”

Speaking to the crowd after the parade, the Mayor of Colchester, Cllr John Jowers, said: “Colchester is hugely proud to be the home of 16 Air Assault Brigade - these soldiers truly are the best of the best. It is fantastic to see so many people here to represent that pride and support; we should all be very thankful for what the military does for the country and never take it for granted.”

The brigade has been based in Colchester since 1999 and was granted the Freedom of Colchester in 2008, which was exercised in 2009 and 2011 after it returned from operations in Afghanistan.

The date also marks the anniversary of Winston Churchill’s 22nd June 1940 memo calling for the creation of "a corps of at least 5,000 parachute troops, suitably organised and equipped", which is celebrated as the birthday of airborne forces. The East Anglian branch of the Parachute Regimental Association held a service at its memorial stone in Castle Park after the parade.