Col Alan Hinings presents the Mayor with a colour print of the amalgamation ceremony in 1970.

From an article by Steve Entwistle in Ireland:
The Mayor of Burnley, Councillor Edward Hanson this week underlined the concern the people of the town have for soldiers serving abroad, with the first official mayoral visit to the troops in Northern Ireland. The Mayor, accompanied by the Mayoress, his wife Edna, and Chief Executive Officer Mr Brian Whittle, spent three days with the 1st Battalion the Queen's Lancashire Regiment at Ballykinier.

The battalion is on an 18-month tour of duty in Northern Ireland patrolling a large area of the province during the uneasy ceasefire. The message the civic party took with them was to assure the soldiers, many of them from the Burnley area, that they were by no means forgotten. The visit was greatly appreciated by the men and their families. The Mayor and Mauoress arrived at Ballykinier on Tuesday morning, 1st April 1975. After an official welcome, when they were shown the regimental colours and silver, they set about their tasks of meeting as many local people as possible. The Mayor travelled by Land-Rover to Castlewellan Police Station, an army base which was a regular target for the IRA before the ceasefire. During this time the Mayoress met some of the wives and families.

On Wednesday the Mayor flew by Scout helicopter to three bases where the battalion is deployed, at Aughnacloy, Clogher and Portadown. The following day, the Mayor travelled by Saracen armoured vehicle to the rifle range, where he used many of the battalion's latest weapons. On both evenings the party stayed at the camp, the Mayor and Mayoress enjoyed the social facilities offered and chatted with as many people as possible. The party flew back to England yesterday afternoon, 7th April.