THE campaign to get Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire granted a Royal Charter will be much deserved as there has always been a tremendous turnout who gather to pay their respects to those service personnel killed in Afghanistan, as their bodies are brought home for repatriation.

However, there is very little media coverage in comparison for the people of Oxford who gather at St Anthony’s Church near the JR Hospital.

There are more and more veterans and members of the public gathering here now, thanks to the efforts of Jim Lewendon, who has worked tirelessly to co-ordinate with the powers that be to get more information of when and what time the corteges are due at Oxford.

Now with the help of Thames Valley Police these sad occasions are well publicised to enable more people to attend. It is great to see so many old comrades from WW II and ex-national servicemen since the war who served abroad in troubled spots throughout the world during their two years. Many stayed on to make careers in the services.

All these gentlemen are heroes who come to pay their respects to the fallen heroes of today but very little is spoken of them by the media. Even several of the PCSOs who attend by their duties are ex-servicemen who have served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and other places.

I can speak for all the ordinary folk who come to pay their respects also, when I say we are proud to stand alongside the veterans and all very proud to be British.

Michael Clarke, Lewell Avenue, Old Marston, Oxford