Guernseyman leads the first parade after Woolwich killing

A GUERNSEY soldier has spoken of his emotion at leading his regiment on the first military parade since the murder of infantry drummer Lee Rigby outside Woolwich Barracks.

Lt-Colonel Colin Vaudin, commanding officer of the 2nd Signal Regiment, led those in his charge in a homecoming parade through the streets of York just three days after completing his first full tour of Afghanistan and 48 hours after Lee Rigby had been killed.

'There was a stoicism to continue and at no time was there any suggestion of cancelling,' he said. 'There was a clear undertaking from the hierarchy, too, that the British Army would carry on.'

Speaking while on a short break in Guernsey, he said that the cold-blooded killing of Lee Rigby was truly shocking and something that was bound to affect the military. 'You are fully conscious of it but it makes you more determined as you can't let things like that detract from what you are doing.'