Freedom of the City

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/06/2012 (5053 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

‘We will then march through the streets with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed.’

Next Saturday, June 9, marks a historic occasion for the city of Brandon.

It will grant Freedom of the City to the military unit I currently command, 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI).

This is a great honour for a military unit, as it recognizes the unit’s distinguished record and demonstrates mutual respect between the city’s citizens and the soldiers.

The tradition of granting Freedom of the City originates from medieval Europe, when cities relied on their walled defences while a threatening army approached.

If an army was deemed friendly, it was permitted to pass into or through the city without being required to disarm, a sign of trust from the citizenry.

As a city became more familiar with the soldiers a military force might then be granted Freedom of the City, particularly if they had performed a deed such as defending the city from an enemy attack.

Granting Freedom of the City entails bestowing the privilege for a military unit to march through the city with “drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed.”

It is truly an honour for the 2PPCLI to be given Freedom of the City of Brandon. The PPCLI as a regiment is approaching a century of service to Canada having been formed at the outbreak of First World War in August 1914.

The 2nd Battalion has existed since 1950, being raised to provide Canada’s first contribution to the Korean War. Since that time, Freedom of the City has been granted to 2PPCLI at our former garrisons of Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg, as well as in Ypres, Belgium, to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Frezenberg.

The last such ceremony for 2PPCLI was exercising Freedom of the City of Winnipeg in June 2004, shortly before leaving our home of more than 30 years and moving to Shilo.

The PPCLI has been at the forefront of every major conflict over the last 100 years, the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, the Cold War in Germany, peace stabilization operations in Cyprus and the Balkans and most recently, Afghanistan. Our unit was given the U.S. Presidential Citation for our actions at Kapyong, Korea, an honour unique among Canadian military units. We also earned the Commander-in-Chief’s Commendation for the Medak Pocket in Croatia in 1993.

Since 2002, our battalion has served numerous tours in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, and the capital of Kabul, with the soldiers of the 2PPCLI distinguishing themselves in combat during the heaviest fighting from 2006 to 2009.

Every time the 2nd Battalion deployed to Afghanistan, our neighbours in Westman were there to support us, particularly, when we suffered losses.

From March 2006 until now, 17 soldiers from 2PPCLI have died in Afghanistan, the heaviest toll for any single unit in the Canadian Forces.

The compassion that Westman showed the battalion further proved to us that Shilo is our home and that we are truly a part of the local community.

We hope to see a large crowd come out to the front of Brandon City Hall at 9:20 a.m. next Saturday.

I will lead the battalion from the 26th Field Regiment’s armoury on 11th Street to the corner of Victoria Avenue and Ninth Street, where I will be halted by the chief of police.

Police Chief Keith Atkinson will then accompany me to the front doors of city hall, where I will knock three times with the pommel of my sword and request permission to enter the city.

The mayor will inspect the soldiers and if she finds us worthy of the honour, read a proclamation granting 2PPCLI Freedom of the City of Brandon.

We will then march through the streets with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed, meeting up with the Traveller’s Day parade and making our way to the grounds of the Manitoba Summer Fair.

Once at the fair, we and other military units from CFB Shilo will have vehicles and equipment on display.

This is our way of saying thank you and to show that 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry is truly at home in western Manitoba.

» Lt. Col Michael Wright is commanding officer of 2PPCLI at CFB Shilo.