Normandy veterans will be able to take part in a Freedom Parade around Bury St Edmunds town centre following a positive response to a plea for more Jeeps. With just about every Second World War vehicle in northern France for the recent D-Day celebrations it had looked doubtful that the veterans, who are being awarded the Freedom of the Borough on Sunday (13 June), would be able to join the parade.
The idea was to have the Normandy veterans, members of the Bury St Edmunds and District branch, joining the Third United States Air Force as they exercised their Freedom (awarded in 2000) through the town, led by the USAFE Band. The parade is part of Sunday's Celebrating Freedom and Democracy Day when St Edmundsbury Borough Council takes its once-every-15-years turn to host the Magna Carta celebrations, including a special service at the Cathedral, and honours the heroism of those who took part in the Normandy campaign 60 years ago.
People responded to the media appeal for Jeeps (needed because many of the veterans would not have been able to march around town) and we now have18 Second World War military vehicles. The Jeeps will be used at 3pm to join the parade from the Abbey Gardens to the Cathedral, after the Council meeting to award the Freedom of the Borough. They will use them again at 5pm, after the Cathedral service, to parade along Churchgate Street, Guildhall Street, Abbeygate Street and on to Angel Hill. Once there, they will watch a display of military excellence by the USAFE Ceremonial Band the USAF Honour Guard Drill team.
The celebrations also include flypasts by a KC135 aircraft from RAF Mildenhall and four F-15 Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath - they will be coming in from the north of Bury St Edmunds so watch out for the noise. There will also be some roads closed - Angel Hill, College Street, Guildhall Street, Abbeygate Street, Higher Baxter Street, Lower Baxter Street and Woolhall Street from 1pm to 6pm and the Abbey Gardens will be closed to the public until 6pm.
ENDS
ISSUED BY MARIANNE HULLAND, COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Tel 01284 757034. marianne.hulland@stedsbc.gov.uk
