Wootton Bassett in spotlight as fanatics' march plans go global (From This Is Wiltshire)

Wootton Bassett in spotlight as fanatics' march plans go global

1:10pm Wednesday 6th January 2010

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IMAGES and descriptions of the repatriations that pass through Wootton Bassett have long been beamed to all corners of the globe.

The respect afforded by townspeople and visitors has been noted in newspapers as diverse as the New York Times and the Sydney Morning Herald, and broadcast with subtitles and voiceovers in dozens of languages.

Often the corteges are filmed as they pass St Bartholomew’s and All Saints’ Church and its tolling bell.

Those corteges inevitably pass the tomb of a teenaged girl called Elizabeth Humphries, who died in 1860 when not all that much younger than some of the service personnel whose final journeys take them close by.

Elizabeth’s parents had her marker inscribed with Coleridge’s Epitaph On An Infant: “Ere Sin could blight or Sorrow fade, Death came with friendly care; The opening bud to Heaven conveyed, And bade it blossom there.”

Wootton Bassett is far from unique in being a well-known town that often wishes it was nothing of the sort, but in Wootton Bassett’s case the reasons are entirely selfless: Each repatriation represents at least one life lost and at least one family plunged into grief.

Yesterday morning, as is always the case on the day of a repatriation, Wootton Bassett went about its normal business.

People shopped, worked, repaired the roads and huddled in their clothes against the bitter cold.

Businesses were open, traffic was constant, and the Christmas tree stood, denuded of decorations, by the old town hall, awaiting removal.

As ever, the High Street later fell silent when the appointed moment came, its people lining the streets to pay mute tribute to the fallen.

During the previous 90 minutes or so they had slowly gathered: members of the public, members of veterans’ associations, local dignitaries – none of them intent on anything but quietly acknowledging the debt we owe to our service personnel.

Those involved in the tributes come from all walks of life and have all shades of opinion about our overseas military policy, but the ones I spoke to were as one in many other respects.

All believed that the repatriations are solely occasions for acknowledging those who make the ultimate sacrifice for their country, their comrades, or both.

All believed certain elements of the media should remember that they were not absolved from the need to behave respectfully.

All were horrified at the prospect of an Islam4UK march through the town – not because of its probable offensiveness but because of the possibility of repercussions against innocent local Muslims, many of whom are regularly among the silent ranks in the High Street as corteges pass.

Among the people I spoke to yesterday were two members of the Swindon branch of the Parachute Regiment Association, who asked to be identified only as Satch and Soapy.

Asked about the growing media presence, Satch said: “The thing that cheeses me off is that every time we come here at least one reporter asks what we’re doing here. It’s pretty damn obvious what we’re doing here – everybody’s here to pay their respects.”

Soapy recalled a French photographer on top of a teetering stepladder, who arrogantly replied “to get the picture” when asked why he was blocking the way of mourners and townspeople during one repatriation.

Both men called for a pool system for the national and international press, which would cut down on numbers and congestion.

This idea was also supported by Sally Hardy, 56, the manager of the Sue Ryder Care charity shop in the High Street, but she also said of the media presence: “In a way, it does highlight more meaningfully how many soldiers are being killed. I think it probably makes it more real than statistics being read out on the news.”

Nobody would talk on the record about the Islam4UK march, but plenty were willing to talk if their names were left out. “All they want is publicity,” said one, “so what’s the point in giving them it?”

Another said: “It makes me angry that these idiots are going to be here from outside and then local Muslims might be blamed – it’s not fair.”

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