Wootton Bassett lowers flag on repatriation ceremonies
By Alex Stevenson Follow @alex__stevenson
The Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett will hold its last tribute to Britain's war dead later.
Its Union Jack flag will be lowered at 19:58 BST and sent to RAF Brize Norton, where repatriation ceremonies are moving from this autumn.
Over the last four years and four months there have been 167 repatriation ceremonies in which the funeral corteges of 345 fallen service personnel have passed through Wootton Bassett.
The spontaneous tributes which began with a handful of local Royal British Legion figures and grew to dominate the town's life have attracted international praise.
Following the transferral of repatriations from nearby RAF Lyneham to RAF Brize Norton the ceremony will now end.
Roger Haydock, who tolled the bell for many of the repatriations, told the Independent newspaper: "Personally it is a relief because it has felt quite a responsibility at times.
"Unlike most of the population, you don't miss a single repatriation and the people of Wootton Bassett are much more aware of every one. That can be depressing."
Prime minister David Cameron announced earlier this year that Wootton Bassett will change its name to Royal Wootton Bassett later this year.
The move was praised at the time by its mayor Mary Champion as a "great honour".
"Whilst we have never sought recognition for our simple act of respect, I am certain that this will serve to reinforce the pride and gratitude we feel for the members of our armed services, who will always be in our thoughts," she said.
This is the first time a town has been honoured for a collective action. Royal Leamington Spa and Royal Tunbridge Wells received the honour in 1838 and 1909 because of their antiquity and royal patronage of their facilities.
