on 2 july 1952, in recognition of historic ties and links with the duke of wellington's regiment (west riding), the huddersfield county borough had conferred on the regiment the freedom of the town. this gave the regiment the right to march through the town with 'flags flying, bands playing and bayonets fixed'. many of the town and district's male residents had served in the regiment during its long history. this right to march was technically lost when the county borough itself was merged with dewsbury to form kirklees metropolitan borough council though, unofficially, continued as on 25 march 1979, kirklees metropolitan borough council gave the freedom of kirklees to the 3rd battalion of the yorkshire volunteers. the 3rd battalion was the duke of wellington's territorial army unit.