Comment.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Hopefully this repatriation will be the last to arrive in the UK through RAF Lyneham and I wish it was the last ever, but probably that wish will not be granted If there are further ones along the old route it will be serviced from RMA Repatriation Network as normal.
I would advise you to monitor our website at – www.rmarepatnetwork.org – where I will post all updated information concerning the change of route as RAF Brize Norton becomes operational.
When the change over becomes operational I will individually email all on our Repatriation Network and explain our intended involvement
Blondie
-----------ooOoo----------
REPATRIATION REPORT
Thursday 18th August, 2011
From operations in Afghanistan, the repatriation of:
Lieutenant Daniel John Clack (24), 1st Battalion, The Rifles, 3rd Commando Brigade RM
Lt Clack died in an IED explosion while leading a foot patrol near the village of Dactran, Helmand Province, on 12th August, 2011. Four other soldiers were seriously injured.
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. .
Royal Wootton Bassett - Town Centre (1540)
This report from Duncan Wostenholm, RMA
The High Street in Wootton Bassett was literally packed for the repatriation of Lieutenant Clack. Along with the family and friends there were numerous veterans in berets and medals, plus 55 members of the Royal British Legion Motorcycle Branch and four RM veterans in berets.
Mr James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire was present, as was the Chairman of Wiltshire County Council. Lt Col Harper Cook and Major Matthew Scalia of the United States Army were there, both presently stationed at Warminster.
37 standards were paraded:
Royal British Legion Swindon, Leyton, Hungerford, Brockworth Ladies, Abertillery, Merthyr Tydfil, Warsop & Medon Vale, Devon County, Sidmouth, Devizes, Dursley & Cam, Mortimer, Gillingham, Purton and Farnham Common.
Associations: The Rifles (Gillingham), The Parachute Regiment (Swindon and West Berkshire), 101st Airborne, The Gloucestershire Regiment (Stroud), The Canal Zone Veterans, The Royal Berkshire Regiment (National and Windsor), RAF Regiment (Bath), RAF (Corsham and Chepstow), The Dorset Regiment (Gillingham and Bath), 43rd Wessex Division, The Royal Regiment of Wales (Newport), The Royal Observer Corps (12 Group), and the RAF and Defence Fire Service.
Gable Cross Police Station - On the A420 just east of the junction with the A419 (1610)
This report from Pat Bristow, RMA
There were three Association standards paraded: Royal Marines (Swindon), Royal Engineers (Swindon) and Royal Signals (Swindon).
These were accompanied by 10 service veterans, about 30 members of the public and 12 police officers.
At the Road Bridge - B4000 over the A420 between Shrivenham and High worth (1630)
Report by Derrick Jeans, RAFA
Unfortunately, due to family commitments, I was unable to attend the repatriation, but I have been told that there were about 14 people at the bridge of the B4000 in the downpour, to pay their respects to the cortege. Also, several drivers of passing cars stopped and stood by the roadside.
United Kingdom Defence Academy - at the Watchfield Roundabout on the A420, adjacent to the UKDA.
(1645)
Report by Jim Hawkins, RMA
There were six RM veterans from RMA Poole, with their Branch standard, accompanied by some wives: June, Pearl, Eileen, Grace (former QARANC) and our regular ex-army comrades Ray, Bert and Gerry. We were joined by our other regulars, Air Commodore Marcus Witherow RAF Regt (Retd) and his wife Mary, and Andy and Debbie, our hosts from the College Farm pub, and Eric and Karen Ridley. We welcomed also other former soldiers: Lt Harry MacKarness, Coldstream Guards and his son (who is a cadet at Sandhurst), Major Paul Adey RM, Lt Frank Attrill RM, and Rod Asham, Royal Signals. Other family members and the public included Diane Blease, Paul and Barbara Vincent, Gary and Louise Mothersill, Graham Vizor, Mrs Barker, Ruth Wheeler, Geoffrey Turner and Maurice and Sue Conway-Lee.
Serving officers from the Academy included Captain Phil Burrill RN, Major Barcenas of the Spanish Army, Lt Col Vaudin, Royal Signals, Flt Lt David Faulkner RAF, WO1 Al Sylvester RAF, and WO2 Andy Gannon, AGC. Numbers are down as everyone is on summer leave.
The salute to the cortege was led by Captain Phil Burrill, Royal Navy 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 (1700)
This report by Joy Blake
On a very rain-drenched afternoon, over 90 people attended the Folly Hill lay-by at what was our 107th meeting to show our respects for the arrival of the cortege, this time bringing home Lt Daniel Clack. 232 serving personnel have been returned to the UK in this way during the time we have met at Folly Hill. The cortege passed by at 5pm.
As well as the veterans wearing berets and medals, local townspeople from Faringdon and surrounding villages attended, together with the Chairman of the Vale branches of the Royal British Legion, Mr David Drew, the Town Mayor, Dr Mike Wise and the Chairman of the Vale of The White Horse District Council, Mrs Alison Thomson.
We were visited by a BBC Oxford television crew, who put the Faringdon Repatriation Group on the map and also interviewed the vice-chairman of RBL Faringdon, Tom Scrivens, the town mayor and myself.
Standards paraded were the Union flag, RBL Faringdon, Highworth, Shrivenham and Wantage, and the RAFA from Brize Norton & Carterton. Numbers were a bit down, mainly because of the heavy rain, flooded roads, etc.
John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford - near Anthony Padua Parish Church, Headley Way. (1720)
This report from John Walker, RDG
We here at the Final Turn stood true and firm to honour Lieutenant Daniel Clack.
There were nine Royal British Legion standards on parade: Bicester, Bicester & Launton, Bodicote, Chalgrove, Headington, Islip, Kidlington, Kidlington Womens Section, and Wheatley. Association standards included: Coldstream Guards, Guards Division (Newbury), The Parachute Regiment (Oxford), RAF Police, Royal Navy & Royal Marines (Oxon), Royal Marines (Windsor), the St George Society and The Banner of The Royal Dragoon Guards.
Also attending were the Deputy Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Alan Armitage and Brigadier Nigel Mogg, Honorary Colonel of The Rifles.
There were 55 service veterans with berets and medals and 30 others from all three services. The Thames Valley Police were out in force, doing their normal duties and parading alongside us, under the command of Chief Inspector C. Agger, and Graham Choldcroft, the Thames Valley Police Chaplain. Mary and John from the church joined us as always, John having half masted the Union flag early in the morning. A fire tender from the Oxford City Fire & Rescue Service attended with a full crew, along with a Red Cross emergency vehicle crewed by Andy Sugar and I/c Kerry Blunt. The public from Oxford turned out in large numbers, despite the awful weather - at least 200 at the Final Turn, with several hundreds leading off the Oxford ring road into Marston and up Headley Way to us at the Final Turn.
My thanks to Mike Townsend (RBL Central) for helping me put these lists together. Thanks again also to the veterans’ wives and partners for serving tea and coffee, etc., bringing home made cakes and also for clearing away after the parade. The weather saw heavy rain as the cortege passed us by at 1720hrs. The parade marshal was G. Whelan (former Para) and his 2i/c was J. Lewendon (former RA).
Their courage and sacrifice will not be forgotten.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
Compiled by PH (Duty Scribe)
On behalf of the Royal Marines Association
.............................................................................................................Arborfield Old Boys' Association
Posts
