Royal visitor unveils plaque to Marlborough's war heroes

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Marlborough came to a standstill this morning as the town prepared to welcome a royal visitor.

The Duke of Kent was invited to unveil a plaque at the War Memorial in New Road, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I.

The duke was also called on to witness the signing of a covenant between the town and 4 Military Intelligence Battalion, the first Army unit since 1204 to have been awarded Marlborough’s ‘Freedom of Entry’. The covenant further strengthens the relationship between town and Army.

He arrived with a ‘royal wave’ and a smile in one of two Land Rovers, accompanied by Wiltshire’s Lord Lieutenant, Sarah Troughton. A second Land Rover contained officers from the Royal Protection Squad, as crowds of well-wishers – and curious onlookers – lined the streets and snapped pictures on mobile phones.

He met a number of county dignitaries, including the High Sheriff of Wiltshire, Peter Addington, deputy chief constable Mike Veale, and police and crime commissioner Angus Macpherson, who stood in line in front of the war memorial.

He was welcomed by the town’s mayor, Marian Hannaford-Dobson, and joined the dignitaries in prayers, led by the mayor’s chaplain, methodist minister Heather Cooper. She offered a prayer of commitment, which began: “To remember the past is to commit ourselves to the future. To remember war is to commit ourselves to peace.”

Wreaths were then laid by the duke and the mayor, and by representatives of the town’s Army and Sea Cadet forces.

Back a the Town Hall, the duke invested five serving soldiers – who have recently returned from Afghanistan – with long service and good conduct medals.

He then watched as the mayor and lieutenant colonel James Brown signed the 1,500-word covenant, in which civilians and the Army pledge to mutually support each other.

It was a ceremony short on speeches, but the mayor was able to express her gratitude and thanks to the duke for visiting the town, and stressed the importance of the covenant to both the civilian community of Marlborough and to the military community, including serving and former soldiers, and their families.

The covenant includes a pledge from the Army to work with pupils of both St John’s School and Marlborough College, to strengthen the relationship between the battalion and the cadet forces, and to strengthen the relationship with the town’s community of war veterans, particularly through the Royal British Legion.

The covenant also pledges the town support in charity fund-raising endeavours, and commits to exchange sports coaches, expertise and best practice between 4MI and Marlborough sports clubs, and for sports clubs to host some Army sports fixtures in Marlborough.

After meeting town councillors and local dignitaries – including Dr Nick Maurice of Marlborough Brandt Group, arts campaigner Rosie Hill, Dr Geoffrey Findlay, chairman of Action for the River Kennet, Billy Whitelegg of Mop Fair organiser The Showman’s Guild, Merchant’s House Trust chairman Sir John Sykes, Marlborough’s ceremonial officer David Sherratt, and Peter Davison, of Marlborough Chamber of Commerce – the duke joined guests for a civic dinner in the Assembly Room.

Following lunch, and after signing to town’s visitor book, the duke offered the room a cheery “goodbye everyone”, before heading off to his afternoon appointment with Swindon Dance.

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