Territorial army soldiers from Swindon raised their flags with pride as they received the freedom of a London borough.

Troops from the Swindon-based A Squadron, The Royal Yeomanry, paraded through Holland Park to accept the honour from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The honour had originally been bestowed last year but because members of the regiment were serving in Iraq at the time, it was postponed to Sunday.

Sgt Dave Blackwell, 37, of A Squadron, based in Church Place, was one of 10 soldiers from Swindon who took part in the parade in London.

Sgt Blackwell, who joined the TA in 1987, said: "It was a good day. The Royal Yeomanry band played the Regimental Anthem as we all marched along with the Squadron's guidon, or colours, swords and guns with fixed bayonets."

Sgt Blackwell served in the Gulf from January to May last year. He said: "At first we were in Kuwait and then we crossed the border and were stationed near Basra.

"We finished off doing peace keeping duties, which involved driving around making sure people weren't killing each other.

"Towards the end I was getting really homesick and couldn't wait to get back to Swindon to see my wife Sarah and my daughter Sophie who is two-and-a-half."

The parade was made up of 162 soldiers from the Royal Yeomanry's five Squadrons, the regiment's band and staff from the headquarters which is based in Croydon.

The parade had special meaning for a further 53 members of the Royal Yeomanry who have recently been mobilised and are due to begin an operational tour of Iraq in March 2004.

The Royal Yeomanry has so far provided two-thirds of the Royal Armoured Corps reserves for operations in Iraq.

Alex Emery