Gunners Parade to mark Freedom

Gunfire salute will echo across Sunderland on Thursday 31st July when the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery marks its Freedom of the City with a military parade.

The Regiment was first given it's Freedom in 1974 and last exercised its right to parade in the City in April 2000.

As part of the ceremonies, a pair of Regiment's light guns will be firing a salute over Mowbray Park at approximately 1pm - this could be VERY loud.

The salute is to mark the beginning of a one minute silence at a Service of Remembrance on Building Hill next to the statue of Sunderland born Victorian military hero Sir General Henry Havelock.  A second round from the guns marks its end.

Altogether there will be nearly 200 'North East Gunners' - with a military band.  They begin their march at noon from Burdon Road, taking in Fawcett Street, High Street West, Union Street into Market Square, Holmeside and turning right back onto Burdon Road for a salute on the Civic Centre steps.

They then proceed to Building Hill for the service and salute before an awards and medals ceremony in the Council Chamber.

Member of the public are lining the route of the parade and Gunners following the march are collecting for a string of charities.  The Gunners recently returned from Afghanistan and around two-thirds of it's strength is from the North East.