Thousands line the streets as the Tigers march through Worthing (From Daily Echo)

Thousands line the streets as the Tigers march through Worthing

2:39pm Saturday 11th July 2009 in

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Thousands of people lined the streets of a seaside town today to give soldiers from the Hampshire Tigers a rapturous welcome home following the bloodiest 24 hours for ground troops in Afghanistan since operations began.

More than 200 soldiers from the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (PWRR) were led through Worthing town centre, West Sussex, by their red-coated Kohima Band.

Known as The Tigers, the regiment draws many of its officers and soldiers from Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Middlesex and London. It is also the infantry regiment that recruits from the Channel Islands.

With a distinguished history, it is the most decorated of all British Army regiments, with 57 Victoria Crosses, including the VC awarded to Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry in 2004 for his gallantry in Iraq.

Today's homecoming parade had extra poignancy as the battalion learned this week that one of its members attached to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards was killed on Thursday.

Crowds of people were four deep in places as the soldiers, who have returned from a six-month tour of Iraq and Afghanistan, marched to the sound of clapping and cheering from members of the public.

The Mayor of Worthing, Councillor Noel Atkins, inspected the soldiers, and this was followed by prayers before the playing of the National Anthem.

Speaking after the parade, Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Sykes, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion of the PWRR, said the recent slew of British deaths was uppermost in many soldiers' minds.

He said: ''We have gone through a torrid time in Afghanistan in the last week or so, there is no shadow of a doubt.

''A very good friend of mine was killed recently, the commanding officer of the Welsh Guards. On top of that it was announced the death of someone who was a member of this battalion serving with the Welsh Guards.

''There was a personal aspect to the deaths that have happened recently both for me and the battalion. Therefore when I spoke to the battalion this morning I said that we need to remember that although we are celebrating, we are also commemorating.

''We felt that we weren't just marching on behalf of our regiment but on behalf of the whole of the British Army. I know that the support was aimed not just at the battalion but for the British Army as a whole.

''Obviously our thoughts are with the families and friends who have died in recent weeks in what has been a bad time.''