SOUTHAMPTON celebrates its long military history today with a ceremony to honour two of its connections.

HMS Southampton and Marchwood Military Port have been awarded Southampton's greatest civic honour - the Freedom of the City.

Only a handful of organisations in the city have received the accolade. Five hundred soldiers and sailors will march through Southampton to the Civic Centre with bayonets fixed at 2.30pm.

The freedom of the city parade today will start with a ceremony on the forecourt of the civic centre.

That will be followed by the parade along Civic Centre Road, along New Road towards Southampton Institute.

It will then turn right onto Palmerstone Road, past Debenhams onto Queensway, right into East Street, right into Below Bar, through the Bargate and along the precinct on its return to the civic centre. Marchwood is home to the 17 Port and Maritime regiment, which has served with distinction in many conflicts including the Gulf War.

It also acted in a peacekeeping role in the former Yugoslavia.

Port Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel David Frankland, MBE, said: "It's a great honour to receive the Honorary Freedom of Southampton. The regiment has for a long time been closely associated with the city.

"The granting of the Honorary Freedom of the City is the highest possible civic acknowledgement of these very close ties.

He added: "It forever bonds 17 Port and Maritime Regiment RLC and the city of Southampton together and officially recognises the place of the regiment in the community."

HMS Southampton arrived at the city on Monday for a week-long visit before heading for the Falklands for six months.

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