Home  /  Newsroom  /  News  /  2021  /  Soldiers with U.K. Mercian Regiment mark end of their tour in Estonia during homecoming parade

SZCZECIN, Poland - 1st Battalion the Mercian Regiment have returned home to their headquarters in Bulford, Wiltshire following an extended period of deployment to Estonia. Over 300 troops from the infantry regiment spent six months on Operation CABRIT, the UK operational engagement to the Baltic state, where British soldiers are leading a multinational battlegroup as part of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence. Held ahead of the Remembrance Day, the homecoming parade saw troops and their families conduct a Remembrance commemoration, recognise the recent success of Op CABRIT, and thank families and friends for their continued support whilst in the Baltics.

Whilst based in Estonia, 1 Mercian Regiment took part in numerous exercises further cementing relations with its NATO partners. Lieutenant Colonel Dean Canham, Commanding Officer 1 Mercian reflects on the deployment:

It was a fantastic opportunity, we got to conduct something that is pretty rare, six months working with soldiers from a range of units and nationalities, conducting everything from the lowest level of training right up to Brigade level of operations in an armoured context.

And he adds, the occasion also gave the regiment a time to reflect: "As it is close to Remembrance day we have taken the opportunity to read out the names of all the Mercian soldiers who have fallen since the formation of the regiment. This time of year, it is particularly poignant having just returned from operations to remember those individuals."

WO2 Mark Sumner from Litchfield has been serving for over 19 years. He thought it an appropriate occasion to combine the homecoming parade and pause to remember others:

"We lost quite a few guys from the three battalions that have since merged into the one. It is nice to stop for a minute, hear their names called out and remember. You don't forget about them."

An official ceremony at the Battalion's Headquarters in Bulford / Photo by British Army 

An official ceremony at the Battalion's Headquarters in Bulford / Photo by British Army 

An official ceremony at the Battalion's Headquarters in Bulford / Photo by British Army