HUNDREDS of servicemen and women won the praise of their Royal Colonel-on-Chief at a rainy and windswept ceremony in York today, May 29.

Princess Anne flew into the city to present operational service medals to 300 soldiers of 2 Signals Regiment, recently back from a six-month tour of Afghanistan.

And hundreds of wives, children and friends proudly watched as they marched on to the parade square at Imphal Barracks, accompanied by the Royal Signals band.

She told the troops: “Over the course of a very busy six months, you have provided a vital link of communications to all the British forces deployed in Afghanistan.

“Whether on the streets of Kabul or the desert of Helmand, you’ve worked hard and maintained the highest standard.”

She added: “Having had the opportunity to visit briefly in Afghanistan just before Christmas, I know that the engineering challenge is significant, the conditions austere and the enemy still very determined.

“You have faced all this and succeeded.”

The Princess Royal, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Signals, presented operational medals to about 100 of the soldiers who had been on their first such tour.

Rain started falling part-way through the ceremony but, aided by a hastily provided umbrella, she took time to speak to every individual soldier about their experiences.