Crossword Genius

Soldiers calling for forgiveness of sins (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

remission

'forgiveness of sins' is the definition.

'soldiers calling' is the wordplay.
'soldiers' becomes 're' (Royal Engineers).
'calling' becomes 'mission' (I've seen this before**).
're'+'mission'='REMISSION'

'for' is the link.

(Other definitions for remission that I've seen before include "Slackening, abatement" , "Pardon" , "Lessening of a term of imprisonment" , "prison sentence is cut" , "Reduction of sentence" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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