Kosovo President Rugova presents British soldiers a beautiful red rose

Kosovo President Rugova presented the soldiers from UKBG2 in Pristina with roses to wear on their berets Aug. 1 to commemorate the 1759 Battle of Minden in 1759, where the forbearers of the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment fought.
"We have a tradition of wearing a rose in our hats on Aug. 1 every year. The tradition comes from the battle when the soldiers took wild roses from the fields and wore them in their hats to help them recognize their comrades," said Captain Bob Wallace. "The Battalion wears the rose on that day each year to celebrate the victory. It is also the tradition to ask an important personality to present the roses to the soldiers."

Austria, Russia, France and Sweden, against Prussia and Great Britain fought at the Battle of Minden in 1789. It is amazing that all these nations are now working together as part of KFOR, and shows how far Europe has come. It should be an example to the people of Kosovo that differences can be resolved and that nations who were once fighting each other can be reconciled.
The soldiers from United Kingdom Battle Group 1, The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, are normally on the patrol of the streets of Pristina. Their duties were assumed Aug. 1 by soldiers from other nationalities of MNB (C).