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TRH visit 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, at Hyderabad Barracks in Colchester, Essex

22nd November 2006

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall paid tribute to the bravery of soldiers who have recently returned from Afghanistan.

Their Royal Highnesses presented members of the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment with operational service medals during their visit to Hyderabad Barracks in Colchester, Essex.

The Prince, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Parachute Regiment, and The Duchess also met privately the families of three soldiers who were killed in action.

The couple handed out 120 of about 450 operational service medals to the soldiers.

Among those receiving medals were Lance Corporal Stuart Hale, 24, Corporal Stuart Pearson, 31, and Fusilier Andy Barlow, 20 who were injured when a landmine exploded, killing Corporal Wright in Afghanistan in August.

The remaining medals were handed out by Brigadier Ed Butler, the commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, and Colonel Neil Hutton, Deputy Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade.

In a speech The Prince said he was sure the soldiers would wear their medals with pride and that he and The Duchess had enjoyed meeting the troops in August before they left for Afghanistan.

He said: “Tragically not all of you have returned."

"The families of those who have not returned, whose lives have been torn apart, I hope and pray they are sustained in some way by the regimental family.

"I think that's the best part of the regiment system, that it looks after those who have suffered in different ways."

"I do think we are incredibly lucky to have people like yourselves carrying out the most difficult and dangerous tasks imaginable in pretty dreadful conditions. Despite the really appalling risks many of you went back into action again without complaint.

"I do think that is a measure of what we are called upon to face, represented by those who made the ultimate sacrifice and we do salute them and will always remember them."

During the visit Their Royal Highnesses met primary school children from the local garrison schools and met soldiers' families.

More than 150 soldiers from the Battalion were reunited with their loved ones last month after a six-month tour of duty in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan.

Click here to find out more about The Prince's regiments.