Hundreds line city's streets for Freedom march
BBCHundreds of people lined the streets of Chester as soldiers marched through the city to exercise its Freedom of the Borough.
The title is one of the highest civic honours a local authority can gran and the 22 Multi-Role Medical Regiment was awarded the Freedom by Cheshire West and Chester Council in December 2024 in recognition of "its service and strong relationship" with the borough.
Troops marched with bayonets fixed, a traditional right associated with the Freedom.
Lance Corporal Leon Szabo, a combat medical technician, said it was "a really proud thing to do for the regiment" and the city.
"Whenever you wear your uniform out in public, it's a very proud thing to do," Lance Corporal Szabo added.
One spectator said: "We admire what these people do on behalf of the country, and it's nice that Chester can put something like this on for everybody to enjoy."
Lord Mayor of Chester Margaret Parker said the city's military links stretched back nearly 2,000 years.
"It has been a privilege to witness the pride, discipline and commitment that you bring in service to our nation," she said.
The regiment has been based at Dale Barracks since July 2024 and provides healthcare on military operations, from emergency treatment and evacuation to field hospital care.
It became the British Army's first multi-role medical regiment when 22 Field Hospital was restructured in July 2023.
The unit traces its lineage to No. 2 Clearing Hospital, formed in 1914. Its predecessor, 22 Field Hospital, deployed to Sierra Leone during the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic.
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