Back Badge Service Gloucester 30 March 2008
April 6, 2008
Parade with Pride (From This is Gloucestershire)
A SYMBOL of pride was paraded through Gloucester on Sunday 30 Mar 08 as veterans and soldiers came together to commemorate the Back Badge.
Old comrades from the Glosters turned out in force for the annual service at Gloucester Cathedral alongside young soldiers from The Rifles and local dignitaries.
The service celebrated the 207th anniversary of the Battle of Alexandria when the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment was awarded the Back Badge for defeating Napoleon’s French army by fighting them off from both sides, standing back to back.
On Sunday a framed American President’s Unit Citation was presented to the Dean by the Korean Veterans from the Glosters to be hung beside Lt Col Carne’s carved stone cross in the Cathedral.
The Citizen campaigned to keep the famous Back Badge of the former Gloucestershire Regiment back in 2004.
With amalgamation of regiments it appeared consigned to the history books. But two years later success was achieved when the Army declared the Back Badge would still be worn by the Rifles as well as by Territorial Army members and Army Cadet Forces.