REPATRIATION REPORT
Thursday, 10th March, 2011
From operations in Afghanistan, the repatriation of:
Lance Corporal Liam Richard Tasker (26), 1st Military Working Dog Regiment, Royal Army Veterinary Corps
LCpl Tasker died of wounds received from small arms fire while on patrol with his dog Theo, while attached to the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, in the Nahr-e-Saraj District, Helmand Province, on 1st March, 2011. Sadly, his Springer spaniel Theo died from stress shortly after.
Service veterans and members of the public turned out in the following “stations of vigil” to pay their respects to the fallen as the cortege made its way on the 47 mile route from the point of arrival at RAF Lyneham to the John Radcliffe Hospital at Oxford.
Wootton Bassett - Town Centre (1620)
This report from Duncan Wostenholm, RMA
The body of Lance Corporal Tasker, together with the ashes of his dog Theo, were flown home through RAF Lyneham today. As the cortege passed through Wootton Bassett, a crowd of about 2,000 people joined family and friends in a mark of respect. Among those present were Mr James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire, Lt Col David Thorpe, LCpl Tasker’s CO, Colonel Douglas MacDonald, Commandant of the RAVC Training School, Lt Col Jeanne Ebling, REME, Lt Col Chris Ham, REME, Mr Bert Davey, consort to the Mayor, and Mr Jonathan Bourne, the Town Clerk.
Over 50 uniformed officers and men, colleagues of the deceased, lined the street together with 12 handlers and their dogs, representing the Police, RAF and the Prison Service, along with 52 members of the Royal British Legion Motorcycle Branch. There were many veterans in berets, representing all branches of the armed forces and two uniformed Petty Officers of the Wootton Bassett Sea Cadets.
31 standards were paraded:
Royal British Legion - Hungerford, Lambourn, Swindon, Abertillery, Devizes, Merthyr Tydfil, Dursley & Cam, Alyth and North Weald.
Associations - Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Royal Berkshire Regiment (Windsor), Royal Regiment of Wales (Newport), RAFA (Corsham and Dunstable), Aden Veterans, Parachute Regiment (Swindon, Newbury, 101st Airborne, West Berkshire and North Staffordshire), Royal Army Medical Corps (Bristol), The Rifles (Somerset), Royal Observer Corps (12 Group), Royal Artillery (Melton Mowbray), Royal Navy (Pershore & District), Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (Shropshire, Arborfield, Manchester, Doncaster, Luton and Dunstable) and the Girl Guides (Wiltshire).
Gable Cross Police Station - On the A420 just east of the junction with the A419 (1640)
This report from Pat Bristow RMA
There were four Association standards at the roadside: Royal Marines (Swindon), Royal Engineers (Swindon), Royal Signals (Swindon) and the RAF Lyneham Old Boys. They were accompanied by 10 service veterans and 25 members of the public. They came with three guide and assistance dogs to honour Theo.
Over 80 police officers from the adjacent HQ joined us and the salute to the cortege was led by Chief Inspector Chris Steelings.
At the Road Bridge - B4000 over the A420 between Shrivenham and Highworth (1655)
Report by Derrick Jeans RAFA
On the bridge over the A420, District Councillor Elaine Ware and 13 members of the public stood to pay their respects to the Cortege. Owing to the heavy traffic at that time of the day, oncoming traffic came to a halt as far as they eye could see. Several of the occupants got out of their cars to honour the fallen soldier.
United Kingdom Defence Academy - at the Watchfield Roundabout on the A420, adjacent to the UKDA. (1700)
Report by Patrick Hopper RMA
There were 15 Royal Marines veterans and four wives with us today, along with RA veteran Ray and the standards of RMA Poole & District and Guildford. We were pleased to see Roy Dee with the standard of the RAF PTI Association. His wife also brought along a Hearing dog under training, to honour Theo. They were accompanied by other veterans, Air Commodore Marcus Witherow RAF Regt and Major Peter Hasting RM and their wives, Mary and Diana.
Serving officers from the Academy included Lt Col Mark Morrison, RAVC, Lt Col Brooking, Lt Col Warren Gould, Australian Army, Wing Cdr Beck, RAF, Major John Russell, Captain Bolton, PWRR and Lt Christopher McArness, Coldstream Guards.
There were about 25 academy civilian staff, wives and children of the officers and members of the public, bringing the total to almost 60.
The salute to the cortege was led by Lt Col Mark Morrison, RAVC and ordered by WO1 Mark Hannington, Mercian Regt., the Academy RSM.
Folly Hill Lay-by - east of Faringdon on the A420, just north of the A417 junction
This report by Joy Blake
Once again we had a large number of people attending the A420 Folly Hill lay-by, for the repatriation of L/Cpl Richard Tasker. Almost 70 people attended to pay their respects when the cortege passed us by at 5.10pm, though rather too fast. One member of the Royal British Legion from Highworth brought his black spaniel dog with him, which added a touching mark of respect to the Dog Handler returned to home soil.
Among the veterans wearing berets and medals also attending, were the community police, the Faringdon Town Mayor, Mrs Margaret Barker and her escort, and Mrs Wendy Simpson of the Wantage Neighbourhood Action Group. Many of those standing at the lay-by had come from far and near, specially those who travel regularly from Maidenhead to be with us.
Standards on parade included the Union flag, RBL Faringdon, Bampton, Highworth, Shrivenham and Wantage. Associations present were RAF Brize Norton and Carterton and the Wantage Royal Navy Veterans.
John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford - near Anthony Padua Parish Church, Headley Way.
This report from John Walker RDG
We here at the Final Turn stood true and firm to honour the fallen soldier, and not forgetting his dog Theo.
There were nine Royal British Legion standards paraded: Marston, Islip, Headington, Chalgrove, Henley, Wheatley, Bicester, Kidlington, and the Kidlington Womens Branch.
Eight Association standards were also present: The Parachute Regiment (Oxford), The Coldstream Guards, Guards Division (Newbury), the Royal Navy & Royal Marines (Oxford), The Royal Tank Regiment (Oxon), Canal Zone Veterans (Oxon), The RAF Police, St George Society and the banner of The Royal Dragoon Guards.
There were 55 veterans in medals and berets and 40 others from all three services. Also attending were the Lord Mayor of Oxford, John Goddard and County Chairlady, Hilary Hibbert-Biles, a full crew of the Oxford City Fire & Rescue Service with a tender and huge Union flag, and a crew from the St John’s Ambulance Service. The church was represented by John, who had early that morning put up the Union flag for us. The Thames Valley Police were out in force, doing their normal duties as well as parading alongside us, under the command of Chief Inspector C. Agger.
There was a huge crowd of the Oxford public at the Final Turn (about 300 of them) and from right around the ring road, many hundreds were there, leading up to us here at the Final Turn, many with Union flags. It was good to note that there were many families with their children, attending this late event. Once again, I thank Ian (former Ox & Bucks LI) for helping me put this list together; also his good lady wife for the home made cakes. They went very quickly as many had come quite early. We kept the public well fed and watered with tea, coffee and biscuits.
We should mention for the first time that we had a representative of the Royal British Legion Officers Branch, London, Mike Clark. He was well looked after as he had made an early start and came to Oxford by train. Parade Marshal was G. Whelan (Para), 2 i/c was J. Lewendon (RA) and the wreath marshal was R. Parker (R. Sigs). The weather was dry but windy.
The cortege passed us by at 1755 hrs.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
Compiled by PH (Duty Scribe)
On behalf of the Royal Marines Association
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Arborfield Old Boys' Association
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