The Duke of York met troops serving in the Gulf during a visit to Afghanistan to present Colours to the Royal Highland Fusiliers.
| The Duke of York in Afghanistan |
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Major Mark Hudson briefs The Duke of York on operations in Afghanistan
© Ministry of Defence |
His Royal Highness received a briefing from the Commander of Task Force Helmand before the Colours ceremony which took place on the UK base in Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province.
Colours, or regimental flags, display battle honours and act as a mobile memorial and an important symbol of the history and ongoing work of a regiment. The colour is updated every 20 to 25 years and was last presented to the Royal Highland Fusiliers by The Princess Margaret in 1978 for the regiment's 300th anniversary.
| The Duke of York in Afghanistan |
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The Duke of York meets troops on the UK base in Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province
© Ministry of Defence |
The ceremony involving The Duke of York is thought to be the first time Colours have been presented to a Battalion in the field since 1856 in India.
Following the ceremony, the Duke met staff at the Battle Group (South) Headquarters and received a briefing from the Provincial Reconstruction Team. The Reconstruction Team is a special military unit which provides security, delivers aid and performs reconstruction projects in the region.
| The Duke of York in Afghanistan |
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The Duke of York meets senior Afghan and British officers at Camp Bastion
© Ministry of Defence |
His Royal Highness then flew by Chinook helicopter to Camp Bastion where he met troops from The Royal Irish Regiment who spoke of their experiences of Afghanistan two months into their six month deployment. He later visited the field hospital on the base.
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The Duke of York salutes at a memorial to soldiers who have lost their lives in conflict during his visit to Camp Bastion
© Ministry of Defence |
For the final stop on his visit, The Duke of York flew north to Kandahar Airbase where he visited Joint Helicopter Force Afghanistan and met naval personnel flying Sea King Helicopters before attending a dinner with UK Commanders and representatives of both The Princess Louise Fusiliers and The Queen's York Rangers, Canadian Regiments, of which he is Colonel-in-Chief. |