THE Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry will tomorrow be granted the Freedom of the Borough of Swindon.

And on Sunday soldiers from the Yeomanry's two Territorial Army squadrons based in Swindon and at Salisbury will take part in a celebration parade at Faring-don Road Park.

Colonel John Peel, the Honorary Colonel, says it will be a wonderful occasion that recognises the close associa-tion between Swindon and the Regiment dating back more than 200 years.

The conferring of Honorary Freedom is a traditional cere-mony that began in an era when a regiment wishing to recruit more men required permission from a town to enter its streets.

The honour will allow the Yeomanry "to march within the municipality, with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed".

The Swindon-based A Squadron, which has just returned from a training stint in Gibraltar, specialises in nuclear, biological and chemi-cal reconnaissance.

B Squadron, from Old Sarum, near Salisbury, provides replacement Chall-enger 2 tank crews for the Regular Army as a sub-unit of The Royal Wessex Yeo-manry.

After Sunday's parade there will be a drive past of armoured and other vehicles on a three-mile circuit of Swindon centre at 12.30pm.

A Challenger 2 battle tank will be part of a military display outside Swindon's Steam Museum.

Swindon's mayor Stan Pajak said: "This event will be one of the highlights of Swindon's year and a cele-bration of the role the Wiltshire Yeomanry has played in our town's history."

The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry dates back to 1794 when, with invasion from France a real threat, Wilt-shire raised ten troops of Yeoman Cavalry.

Since then, many battle honours have been recorded in the Boer War and two World Wars with the 60th anniversary of its heroic contribution in North Africa being marked this year.

New recruits are always welcome.

For more information call A Squadron on 01793 523865 or B Squadron, 01722 327325.