Forces honour small town's effort

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.

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.

The 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.

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.

Former soldier Tony Abrahams told BBC News: "I never miss an armistice parade. It's just to show your appreciation.

"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.

"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.

"People are very proud of our armed forces."

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