This article is from 'bbc', was first published or seen on Sun Oct 12 07:27:10 UTC 2008 and has 5 versions.
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Forces honour small town's effortSun Oct 12 14:01:15 UTC 2008 |
Forces honour small town's effortSun Oct 12 14:10:52 UTC 2008 |
Members of the armed forces have been parading through a Wiltshire town to thank locals for honouring dead British service personnel. | Members of the armed forces have been parading through a Wiltshire town to thank locals for honouring dead British service personnel. |
| Over the past 18 months residents of Wootton Bassett have lined the streets more than 100 times as coffins have been brought through the town. | Over the past 18 months residents of Wootton Bassett have lined the streets more than 100 times as coffins have been brought through the town. |
| The town is near RAF Lyneham, the airbase to which bodies are repatriated after deaths in Afghanistan or Iraq. | The town is near RAF Lyneham, the airbase to which bodies are repatriated after deaths in Afghanistan or Iraq. |
| Sunday afternoon's tribute also saw a flypast from a Hercules aircraft. | Sunday afternoon's tribute also saw a flypast from a Hercules aircraft. |
Anne Bevis, Royal British Legion | Members of all three armed forces marched through the market townThe tradition of residents lining the streets as coffins were driven through Wootton Bassett began in April 2007 after a decision was made to bring all service personnel war dead home to Britain through RAF Lyneham. |
| Previously, dead servicemen and woman had been flown back to RAF Lyneham or RAF Brize Norton. | Previously, dead servicemen and woman had been flown back to RAF Lyneham or RAF Brize Norton. |
| In a letter to the town thanking the residents for the gesture, the head of the British Army, Sir Richard Dannatt, said: "I am writing to express my sincere gratitude. | In a letter to the town thanking the residents for the gesture, the head of the British Army, Sir Richard Dannatt, said: "I am writing to express my sincere gratitude. |
| "In many respects, it is the things that cost nothing that are the ones that are the most important - a friendly greeting in the street, a prayer in church... But the gestures shown by the people of Wootton Bassett surpass these at every level." | |
| Among those who regularly turn out to pay their respects are former servicemen and women. | Among those who regularly turn out to pay their respects are former servicemen and women. |
| Former soldier Tony Abrahams told BBC News: "I never miss an armistice parade. It's just to show your appreciation.Residents lined the streets, as they do when coffins pass through the town | |
| "It's something you feel you ought to do and I think this should be appreciated right throughout the land." | "It's something you feel you ought to do and I think this should be appreciated right throughout the land." |
| Anne Bevis, local secretary of the Royal British Legion, said: "Those lads that are being brought through this town, all we can do is spare a few moments of our life. | Anne Bevis, local secretary of the Royal British Legion, said: "Those lads that are being brought through this town, all we can do is spare a few moments of our life. |
| "They've given theirs, so a few moments of ours is nothing." | "They've given theirs, so a few moments of ours is nothing." |
| Defence Secretary John Hutton, who also attended the parade, added: "We're all here today to say thank you to the armed forces and for the support that has been shown locally to our forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. | Defence Secretary John Hutton, who also attended the parade, added: "We're all here today to say thank you to the armed forces and for the support that has been shown locally to our forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| "People are very proud of our armed forces." | "People are very proud of our armed forces." |