MORE than 300 soldiers have marched through the historic centre of one of Britain's oldest garrison towns today to mark their return from operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The service personnel from The Rifles and the King's Royal Hussars, the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, the frigate HMS Richmond, RAF Odiham and the 4 General Support (Medical) Regiment marched through Winchester.
The troops were accompanied by bands as they paraded up the medieval High Street and then attended a reception hosted by the county council.
Some of the regiments have long associations with Winchester or are Hampshire based with most stationed at the home of the British Army in Aldershot.
There are more service personnel and their families stationed in Hampshire than in Scotland, according to the county council.
Each unit is to receive a ceremonial scroll and all service personnel are to get a glass tankard and a bottle of beer from local breweries.
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