Heroes’ welcome

The bespoke centre has been built at RAF Brize Norton in preparation for the return of repatriations to the Oxfordshire base on September 1 as RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire closes.

Servicemen and women killed on operations have been flown into Lyneham since April 2007 when Brize Norton was closed for runway repairs.

Crowds of people lining Wootton Bassett’s streets in silence as corteges pass have become a familiar sight, growing from small groups of local Royal British Legion members to hundreds of people gathering to pay their respects.

Earlier this month the town fell silent for the 167th and final time as the body of Lieutenant Daniel Clack, 24, of 1st Battalion The Rifles, passed through in the last repatriation to be held at Lyneham.

Arrangements have been under way for arrivals to be moved to RAF Brize Norton. The purpose-built repatriation centre has several rooms, including one for families, and a chapel of rest.

Corteges will leave the base via a refurbished gate renamed the Britannia Gate. They will also pass a memorial garden created by Oxfordshire County Council, West Oxfordshire District Council, Carterton Town Council, Brize Norton Parish Council and the Royal British Legion.

The garden, on Norton Way, is on the repatriation route from the base to the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford, and will be where the Royal British Legion will present their standards as corteges pause. There are also plans for a memorial bell at the site.

The Rev (Wing Commander) David Edgar, senior chaplain at RAF Brize Norton, said the purpose-built centre had a number of different rooms serving different purposes, including one exclusively for families of the fallen and one for senior military representatives who attend the repatriation ceremonies.

He said the return of repatriations to Brize Norton was important to everyone at the base, who were keen to maintain the heroes’ welcome given by Wootton Bassett.