The Tradition of Granting the Freedom of the City

The tradition of granting Freedom of the City to a military unit is a civic ceremony which goes back more than three centuries. The custom first took hold after the restoration of King Charles II of England in 1660.

In medieval times, military troops would camp outside the walls of the city. While the soldiers might visit the city's taverns during the day, they would return to their camp at sunset. Over time, the soldiers would gain the trust of their city neighbours, as the citizens became more familiar with them. They might then be conferred with Freedom of the City, particularly if they had defended the city from an attacking enemy or performed some other worthy deed.

The Freedom of the City means, in the physical sense, the granting of the privilege for all time for a specific military unit to march through the city with "drums beating, colours flying, and bayonets fixed." This is a most prized honour, for it recognizes over time, the honorable record of the military unit, and demonstrates the affection and esteem in which it is held by the community and the trust the citizenry has in the military to protect its democratic institution.

The granting of "The Freedom of the City" is therefore a private matter between civic officials and the specific unit concerned. The decision to grant this symbolic freedom rests with the municipal authorities.

On September 18, 2005, Halton Regional Police Chief Constable Ean Algar halted the RHLI, then, after determining its intent was peaceful, Chief Algar escorted LCol Smith to the City Hall doors, which stood in for the gates to the city.

The ceremony starts as the unit to be granted the Freedom of the City marches toward city hall - band silent, colour cased and rifles carried without bayonets fixed. When the unit nears city hall, they are stopped by the chief constable standing in front of a barrier in the centre of the road. The unit halts at the barrier. The chief constable challenges the unit on its identity, and the commanding officer responds with the unit's title. The chief constable then calls for the unit to "advance one and be recognized". The commanding officer only, moves closer to the barrier.

The commanding officer, accompanied by the chief constable, then marches to the door to city hall where the commanding officer knocks on the door three times with the pommel of their sword. The mayor opens the door, and the commanding officer declares their name and that of the unit. The mayor and sometimes councillors line up at the entrance to city hall and the mayor then reads a proclamation proclaiming that Freedom of the City is bestowed on the specific unit. The commanding officer accepts the freedom and returns to the unit and chief constable orders that the barrier be removed. The unit fixes bayonets, and the colours are unfurled. The unit marches past, now with the band playing, with the mayor taking the salute. You will see all these traditional elements represented in the RHLI ceremony.

LCol Smith, Commanding Officer of the RHLI knocks on the City Hall doors three times with the pommel of his sword, which stood in for the gates to the city.

Once a unit has been granted Freedom of the City, it may exercise its freedom on occasions arranged with the civic authority. The ceremony to exercise Freedom of the City is similar to the granting, except the unit may march directly to city hall with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed. After the unit is challenged and identified by the chief constable, the mayor proclaims the unit welcome, inspects the troops, and invites the unit to exercise its freedom.

Visit our Exercise area for more photos and the story
of the September 18, 2005 Freedom of the City of Burlington