Army medics of 34 Field Hospital march through York after receiving freedom of the city (From York Press)

Army medics of 34 Field Hospital march through York after receiving freedom of the city

1:29pm Saturday 9th March 2013 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

THE army medics of 34 Field Hospital provided a spectacle as they marched through York after receiving the freedom of the city on a damp Saturday morning.

The troops, who are based in Strensall and have recently seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan, were inspected by the Lord Mayor of York, then, accompanied by the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band, marched from Duncombe Place through the city centre to applause from shoppers and pedestrians.

Despite the miserable weather, the troops were in good spirits and their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Jaishan Mahan, described the day as a highpoint of his army career.

He said: “It’s a fantastic experience for everyone in the unit. There was a real sense of pride marching through our city and there were some touching moments as we received spontaneous applause as we were marching.

“From a personal perspective it was one of the highpoints of military career. It doesn’t get better than marching round the city of York with your unit.”

He said: “We have always maintained close links with the city, especially with the local healthcare trust and the community in Strensall.”

The unit was handed Freedom of the City after completing a number of deployments. It was the first hospital unit into Iraq and was also the first field hospital deployed in Afghanistan. In its most recent tour, Operation HERRICK 12 in 2010, the unit’s resident field hospital treated up to 250 casualties, of different nationalities, each week.