Army's last remaining county regiment parades in York for birthday celebration

The Royal Yorkshire Regiment has marked its 20th anniversary with an invite-only parade at York's Imphal Barracks, wrapping up a summer of events marking its milestone year.

The unit was formed in 2006 and originally named The Yorkshire Regiment, with the Royal honour bestowed on it in 2023 by King Charles III.

The parade marked the conclusion of a series of events held across the North of England celebrating two decades of the regiment's existence, which has included significant action in Afghanistan and Iraq.

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Proud history of operations 

Leading the parade was the commanding officer of the regiment's 1st Battalion, Military Cross recipient Lieutenant Colonel Colin Lunn, who spoke about the changing nature of the operations faced by the unit over the course of the last 20 years.

"I think the operations have played a really significant part in the Royal Yorkshire Regiment's history," he told BFBS News. "We were founded when battalions were deployed on operations.

"The early years were characterised by those operational deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan especially, and we find ourselves in a position today where we have our battalions at readiness for the threats that are posed today.

"Maintaining that fighting edge is clearly a part of our regimental identity and something that we want to keep."

"It's important to get everyone together"

The 1st Battalion has been busy maintaining that fighting edge of late. 

Some of its personnel have been deployed on operations in the past 12 months, while others participated in a large Nato land exercise in Germany. This follows deployments including to Iraq and Kosovo over the past three years.

Formed in June 2006, the Yorkshire Regiment was one of the new "super regiments" born out of a major reorganisation of the infantry. The result of an amalgamation, the regiment's three antecedent cap badges were The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire, The Green Howards and the Duke of Wellington's Regiment.

Lance Corporal Ryan Mountjoy, a physical training instructor in 1 Royal Yorks, said having parades like this to mark key moments is a vital part of Army life.

"It's important to get everyone together – family, friends, all that good stuff," he said. "We're catching up and just being together."

Before the parade concluded, the regiment's band played the Norwegian national anthem in recognition of the recent death of Norway's King Harald V.

King Harald was, before the 2006 amalgamation that brought an end to the regiment, Colonel-in-Chief of the Green Howards. The Royal Yorks also recently sent a group of personnel to the late King's funeral.

Another important matter marked during the parade in York was the handing over of responsibilities between the outgoing and incoming Colonel of the Regiment, a post traditionally held by a general who has previously commanded one of the regiment's battalions.

Welcomed into the role, which he will hold for the next five years, was Major General Sam Humphris MBE, a former CO of 2 Yorks.

Outgoing Colonel of the Regiment, Lieutenant General Zak Stenning CB OBE, returns to focusing wholly on his primary role as Commander Land Forces – one of the most important command appointments in the British Army.