Parts of Glasgow will be brought to a standstill on Friday when a variety of armoured vehicles take to the streets, in a parade by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards to thank the Scottish people for their support during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan last year.

Parts of Glasgow will be brought to a standstill on Friday when a variety of armoured vehicles take to the streets, in a parade by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards to thank the Scottish people for their support during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan last year.

Some 150 soldiers from the regiment will march with a 62-tonne Challenger tank, a Bulldog armoured personnel carrier and a Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicle from the city's Holland Street to George Square, where the vehicles will halt for public display.

There the salute will be taken, in a selection of their uniforms including desert combats, green combats and ceremonial dress, with the regimental standard flying.

Among the guests will be the Deputy Lord Provost of Glasgow, Allan Stewart, and Secretary of State for Scotland, Jim Murphy.

This will be their first march through Glasgow city centre since their predecessor, the Royal Scots Greys, embarked for the South African war.

The regiment is Scotland's only cavalry regiment, and is equipped with the Challenger 2 main battle tank, as well as other smaller armoured vehicles. They were formed in Edinburgh in 1971 from the amalgamation of the Royal Scots Greys and the 3rd Carabiniers, and their headquarters and regimental museum are still in Edinburgh Castle.

Normally based in Fallingbostel in Germany, they are back in Scotland for the first time in eight years to mark the Homecoming and take part in royal guard duties and Armed Forces Day events.

The soldiers have deployed on all major operations, including the Gulf War in 1990-91, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq in 2003 and 2006 and Afghanistan and Iraq in 2008.

They were the first regiment in the British Army to use Challenger 2 and the first to fire its main 120-millimetre gun against an enemy, during operations in Iraq in 2003.