Wootton Bassett 15:00 hours +/- 30 minutes - Anticipated departure time from Wootton Bassett
(20 minutes average to Gable X Pol Stn)
Gable Cross Police Station (A420) 15:20 hours +/- 30 minutes - Thames Valley Police estimated time to take over responsibility for Cortege
(10 minutes average to Bridge over A420)
Bridge over A420 (carrying B4000) 15:30 hours +/- 30 minutes
(10 minutes average to UKDA)
UK DefenceAcademy (A420) 15:40 hours +/- 30 minutes
(5minutes average to Folly Lay-by)
Folly Lay-by (A420) 15:50 hours +/- 30 minutes
(40 minutes average to ParishChurch)
St. Anthony of PaduaParishChurch 16:05 hours 16:15 hours+/- 30 minutes
John RadcliffeHospital (Oxford) 16:20 hours +/- 30 minutes - Thames Valley Police Estimated time to arrive at the JohnRadcliffeHospital
REPATRIATION REPORT
Thursday 11 March, 2010
From operations in Afghanistan, the repatriation of:
1. Corporal Richard Green (24), 3rd Battalion, The Rifles
Cpl Green was killed by small arms fire while on operation as part of 3 Rifles Battle Group at Sangin, HelmandProvince on 2nd March, 2010.
2. Rifleman Jonathan Allott (19), 3rd Battalion, The Rifles
Rfn Allott was killed by small arms fire while on operations as part of 3 Rifles Battle Group, near Sangin, HelmandProvince, on 5th March 2010.
3. Rifleman Liam Maugham (18), 3rd Battalion, The Rifles
Rfn Maugham was killed by small arms fire while on operations as part of 3 Rifles Battle Group at Sangin, HelmandProvince, on 6th March 2010.
4. Corporal Stephen Thompson (31), 1st Battalion, The Rifles
Cpl Thompson was killed by small arms fire while on operations with 3 Rifles Battle Group, in Sangin, HelmandProvince, on 7th March 2010
5. Lance Corporal Tom Keogh (24), 4th Battalion, The Rifles
L/Cpl Keogh was killed by small arms fire while on operations with 3 Rifles Battle Group, in Sangin, HelmandProvince, on 7th March 2010
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 43 mile route from the point of arrival at RAF Lyneham to the John Radcliffe Hospital at Oxford.
Wootton Bassett - Town Centre (1452)
This report from Duncan Wostenholm
About 2,000+ family, friends and townspeople gathered in the High Street, Wootton Bassett for the repatriation of the five soldiers from The Rifles. Among those paying silent tribute were Mr James Gray MP, Lord William Petty-Fitzmaurice, Steve Bucknal (Mayor of Wootton Bassett) and the Mayor of Malmesbury.
As usual there was a good turnout of veterans, including four RMA, the RBL Riders and several uniformed members of the military.
35 standards were paraded: Royal British Legion: Brockworth and Whitcombe, Arberfield, Tewkesbury, Tilehurst, Tilehurst Womens’ Section, Abertillery, Swindon, Hungerford, Devizes, Potterne, Doncaster Group and Dunscrofty, Hatfield and Stainsforth. Association standards included RNA Swindon and Tewkesbury, Aden Veterans, Canal Zone, Royal Irish Rangers, Devon & Dorset Regiment, Torridge & Bath; Dorset Regiment, Bath and Gillingham; Parachute Regiment, Milton Keyes and Swindon; The Rifles, Royal Engineers, Abergavenny; Cwmbran Ex-Soldiers; RAFA Swindon, Royal Regiment of Wales; 43 Wessex; Royal Observer Corps, 12 Group; The Light Infantry, Bath; The Berkshire & Wiltshire; Royal Berkshire Regiment, Newbury and Windsor.
This report from Steve Blundell - RBL Riders
Another large repatriation, once again supported by a fantastic turnout from the Branch. The 35 standards being flown were supported by a massive amount of families and friends of the repatriated, along with a large regimental turnout and of course the now usual various groups of people there like ourselves. We had 33 motorbikes and 39 Rider members and eight other bikes and their owners, one trike and a motorcycle & sidecar and a few Riders’ family members. Thanks were given to us from the five families for our attendance at the funerals later on, once they were arranged. Details of these will be sent to me over the next few weeks. Once again it was great to see so many Rider members there for their first time, along with the usual suspects. So a big thank you to you all. Well done.
Gable Cross Police Station - On the A420 just east of the junction with the A419 (1510)
This report from Pat Bristow, RMA
Two standards were paraded: Royal Marines Association - Swindon and RAF Lyneham Old Boys Association.
15 veterans attended, along with 120 police officers and about 50 members of the public.
At the Road Bridge - over the A420 between Shrivenham and Highworth (1520)
This report from Elaine Ware, standing in for Derrick Jeans, RAFA
District Councillor Elaine Aare and 16 people gathered to pay their respects to the five repatriated soldiers. All approaching traffic came to a complete standstill as the cortege passed.
United Kingdom DefenceAcademy- at the Watchfield Roundabout on the A420, adjacent to the UKDA. (1530)
A cold but dry day saw the passing of the cortege, with the coffins of five soldiers, all were from the same regiment. The 3rd Battalion is in Afghanistan in full, supported by 150 men from the 4th Battalion. Cpl Thompson is shown as belonging to 1st Battalion, but volunteered to join 3rd Battalion as a battle casualty replacement.
Two standards were paraded: RMA Poole and RMA Guildford.
14 RM veterans and an RA veteran attended, along with a WO1 of The Rifles, who ordered the salute, and an RMP Major from the Academy, along with about 20 academy staff and members of the public.
Folly Hill Layby - east of Faringdon on the A420, just north of the A417 junction
This report by Joy Blake
About 100 people joined with members of the Faringdon and District Branch of the Royal British Legion and many veterans displaying their medals and berets, to pay their respects to the five members of the Armed Forces returned home from Afghanistan. The cortege passed through at 1535 and before it had even arrived at the lay-by, many drivers when seeing the flashing lights of the police motorcycle outriders approach, had stopped their vehicles on the main A420 road, tailing back from Stanford Road roundabout. This we had never seen happen before.
Included in those paying their respects were members of other RBL branches, townspeople and surrounding villages, together with many veterans, including stalwarts who had travelled many miles to be with us once again. In particular there were John McDonnell (RMA) from Henley-on-Thames and Ted Carpenter (RBL) from Maidenhead. We do appreciate the distance they travel and their commitment, which we all do to pay our respects.
We also had the chairman of the Vale of the White Horse DC, Mrs Alison Rooke, and Faringdon Town Mayor, Dr Mike Wise attending, together with two Carers from a local residential care home, bringing with them two residents who wanted to join us. I might add that they (the residents!) were two very old ladies.
The community police were also on hand with their traffic control and hot drinks.
The standards present were: the Union flag, RBL Faringdon, Bampton, Beedon, Shrivenham, Wantage West Reading and Oxfordshire Womens Section, and the Wantage Royal Naval Veterans Association.
John RadcliffeHospital- near St Anthony Padua Parish Church, Headley Way.
This report from John Walker RDG:
We here in Oxford at the final turn stood to honour the above 5 young Riflemen. There was a huge turnout. 65 veterans in berets and 45 others from all three services.
There were nine Royal British Legion standards: OxfordCity, Marston, Islip, Wheatley, Kidlington, Littlemore, Headington, Chalgrove and Hazelmere. There were also five Association standards: Royal Navy - Oxfordshire, Royal Marines - Windsor, Royal Marines - Bicester, Canal Zone - Oxfordshire and the Society of St George. There was also the banner of the Royal Dragoon Guards Association.
Also alongside us were the Lord Lieutenant of Oxford and the High Sheriff of Oxford. The public of Oxford were once again out in huge numbers with their Union flags all the way up Headley Hill to the Final Turn. They were standing two deep and it was nice to see so many children with their flags.
I should like to add here that there is an RAF veteran, Mr L. Rudman who is 97 years old, driven all the way from WitneyTown (a round trip of 40 miles) - its very rare not to see him. Also our famous cake lady Diana did us proud once again and her other half Ian, who now helps me put these lists together. The weather was kind, dry but getting cold, as the cortege passed us by at 1610.
Reports tell us that all along the Oxford ring roads, they were once again in great support.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
-- Edited by Administrator on Tuesday 16th of March 2010 05:02:09 PM
-- Edited by Administrator on Tuesday 16th of March 2010 05:03:13 PM
