THREE hundred soldiers marched through Chippenham for the 9 Regiment’s first official celebration of Commonwealth Day.

The 9 Theatre Logistic Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps, based at Buckley Barracks in Hullavington, has soldiers from several of the 53 member countries of the Commonwealth.

Today they embraced these links by exercising their Freedom of the town and marching from Wood Lane car park down The Causeway, Market Place, High Street and The Bridge to Bath Road car park.

About 550 primary schoolchildren, as well as others in the community, lined the streets to watch.

Amelia McAveety, six, of Ivy Lane School, said: “The way the colours blended in looked really cool because it looked like one big thing, I thought it was amazing.”

Fellow pupil Ella Swanson, seven, said: “They looked really smart.”

Year 2 teacher Jim Faulkner said: “It is a really good opportunity for the children to experience all the different cultures in our community, and see the discipline of the military marching in unison and show their support.”

Following the march the children gathered in the Neeld Hall where they experienced the colourful cultures of India, Fiji, Nepal, and the nations of Africa and the Carribean.

Soldier Kwame Osei-tutu, 32, whose uncle is a king in his home country of Ghana, said: "I had the chance to join Ghana air force, but then I wouldn't have had the chance to go to Afghanistan and Iran. I wanted to experience something new. That is what you call passion, when people seeing you wonder why you do it.

"Ninety per cent of our laws come from the British empire, so I have an affinity with here, of course."

Pete Apreko, 35, from Ghana has been based at Hullavington for three years. He said: "I get the luxury of having two homes. It is great having a feel of both cultures, you get the best of both, like Kingsmill 50-50 bread.

"I've been around and served in Germany and Northern Ireland and this is one of the most multicultural units I've known."

The Neeld Hall filled with the aromas of exotic spices and tropical sounds as soldiers from the regiment performed their national dances and song in striking traditional costume and offered tastes of their food, such as coconut cake from Jamaica, the gulab jamun dessert from West Bengal, curried goat from West Indies and pork dumplings from Nepal.

Jack Robinson, 11, of Stanton St Quintin School, said: “It was interesting. I tasted the Fiji chicken, it was sort of smokey but mild. They dig a hole in the ground and cook it on hot stones.”

His friend Bradley Robinson, nine, who watched the Indian bhangra and gidda dancing, said: “It was different to normal English dancing, it was actually fast-paced and slow at the same time.”

Suman Sindaram, 28, who hails from India and has been in the British Army based at Buckley Barracks for two years, said: “It is a prestigious day for us. We are very proud to present ourselves. This is the day for us to show our cultures and traditions.”

Visitor Yvonne Joseph, who moved to Chippenham in 1974 from Guyana, said: "It is a lovely occasion, a beautiful thing. I think it's important to interact with people from different countries. We need to have more of this sort of thing; legislation is important but it's this that cuts down racism, people getting to know each other, building bridges."

Mayor of Chippenham John Scragg, who began the day’s celebrations by raising the Commonwealth flag and reading the Commonwealth Affirmation in the town hall, said: “I went to school in East Africa so I am particularly attached to the Commonwealth. There are 53 member countries ranging from India with the largest population, of 1.2 billion, to the smallest – Nauru, with 10,000 people.

“We are very grateful to the Logistics Corps for coming here to march through the town. They are always welcome.”