Legion thanks town for support at parade

Soldiers say they were touched by the number of children at the Freedom of Thatcham parade

THATCHAM Royal British Legion has spoken about the importance of last week's Freedom of the Town parade.

The secretary of the branch, John Sharpe, said that it was important the legion was kept in the forefront of people's minds, especially in terms of the poppy appeal.

Hundreds of people lined the streets last Wednesday for the celebration which marked the 60-year relationship between Thatcham and the Royal School of Military Survey, based at Denison Barracks, Hermitage.

The legion approached Thatcham Town Council to see if the event could be held this year, in line with its 90th anniversary.

Mr Sharpe said: “It's the ultimate accolade that a town or city can grant.”

He added that the soldiers to whom he had spoken had been particularly touched by the number of children who had lined the route of the march.

He said: “There's a lot of military on television and in the media, as you would expect because of events around the world.

“Sometimes people can become detached from that; the people you see on the screens or in newspapers are quite remote but when you get up close and personal with a group of people marching up the street in your town and you see the medals, you know a lot of them have been in conflict, that brings it back to people, especially children, that they are not robots.

“They are people who could be their brother or sister.”

The co-ordinator for Berkshire's poppy appeal, David Drew, said: “I felt it was important to come along to support those who we try to assist and who, in turn, support us.

“From the town's point of view, it's important that they realise that there's a military unit on their doorstep and that these people are proud of the community.

“It's also important from the military school's point of view that they realise they have the support of the local community.”

School principal John Knight said that it was important to remember that many of his staff had once been members of Thatcham community, involved in organisations such as the Guides, Air Cadets, charities and governors of local schools.

He added it was really good to have marched through the town with the schools present to support them.

He said: “My soldiers have been out on parade every morning for the past couple of weeks and in the afternoons rehearsing.

For them, it's great to see the acknowledgement.”

The Freedom of the Town, awarded by Thatcham Town Council, was in recognition of the national and international contribution that the military school has made to the education and training of defence personnel.

It means that the school has the right to march through the streets of the town on all ceremonial

occasions with colours flying, bands playing, drums beating and bayonets fixed.