46 Miles

Jarra Brown

Description

When Jarra Brown hears church bells he cannot fail to be reminded of the hundreds - 345 to be precise - of service personnel who passed through the beautiful rural Wiltshire countryside into Oxfordshire. These men and women were not hiking across its green pastures or sitting on top of the number 55 bus, instead they were lifeless, resting inside a coffin draped with the Union flag. By the end of August 2011 the bells of St Bartholomew's Church in Wootton Bassett had tolled more times than the residents of this once peaceful town cared to think about, for each chime represented the moment the police convoy accompanying the hearse from RAF Lyneham entered the High Street. A moment frozen in time, a moment when the residents of this town came to show their respects, a moment that couldn't have been more fitting even if it had been choreographed. There was no call to arms by the Town Crier, just a spontaneous, modest and unprompted response to those who had paid the ultimate price in the name of duty. 46 Miles is not a book about the politics of war, the whys and wherefores of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, or indeed the hidden agendas and government strategies. It is about a town which captured the hearts of our nation and whose emotions rippled the entire 46 mile journey of honour, dignity and respect into Oxford. It is dedicated to those 345 people who, having signed up to serve their Queen and country, paid with their lives. Wootton Bassett, who nurtured the grieving on every occasion, wanted to let the nation know that these heroes will never be forgotten.

Sujets

• Lettres et linguistique

Informations

• Publié par: Andrews UK
• Date de parution: 24 juin 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781908336347
• Langue: English

Extrait

Title Page
46 MILES
A Journey of Repatriation and Humbling Respect
Jarra Brown



Publisher Information
First published in 2015 in Great Britain by
Menin House Publishers
Gemini House
136-140 Old Shoreham Road
Brighton, BN3 7BD
an imprint of Tommies Guides
Military Book Specialists
www.tommiesguides.co.uk
Digital edition converted and distributed by
Andrews UK Limited
www.andrewsuk.com
© 2015 Jarra Brown
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. All rights reserved. Apart from any use under UK copyright law no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior written permission of the publisher or Jarra Brown, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent publisher.
Cover design by Ryan Gearing



Foreword
This book describes an extraordinary chapter in the history of an extraordinary Royal Air Force Station. I first arrived at RAF Lyneham as a young Hercules pilot in 1993. Over the following eighteen years I served four tours on the Station and grew to consider it my home; its community and its surrounding countryside became an integral part of my life.
But no one could have predicted the role this community, military and civilian, would play as our young men and women, fallen whilst serving combat operations, were repatriated to their families and to the country that had sent them to war. The initially spontaneous, then immaculately orchestrated reaction of Wiltshire folk to the painfully regular cortège, as it passed through (later Royal) Wootton Bassett was to come to symbolise the emotions of the Nation. Often seemingly mislaid values were re-awakened in the minds of British people: including those of patriotism and honour; this in recognition of the sacrifices that our young men and women were making on combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of course it was the dignity of the families of these men and women, each in the midst of the most unimaginable pain that had the greatest effect on the Station. Indeed, nothing might have prepared me for that. But it is times like this that brings the very best out of people. At RAF Lyneham I was fortunate enough to succeed two outstanding Station Commanders, Group Captains Paul Atherton and Mike Neville (reflecting the tragic longevity this intensive period of repatriations spanned), each of whom had made the Station resilient to the demands of the Station’s tragic role; helped of course by a superb team of Station personnel from Station Warrant Officer to Station Padre and many other Station support staff. But it was our own community policeman, Jarra Brown, who provided the bridge into the heart of the local community. Jarra was unstinting in his support to me and to the people of Wootton Bassett: those that were central to the role that this remarkable market town had taken on. Jarra was an old-fashioned bobby with a remarkable sense of duty and loyalty and with a heart that matched scale of the respect in which he was held.
I am grateful that Jarra has decided to document this important period of history; I commend his book to you.
Group Captain John Gladston CBE DFC RAF Retd
Former Station Commander
Royal Air Force Lyneham



Dedication
To my beautiful wife Karen for the love and support, you gave me through the 30 years we have been together; my soul mate and my best friend. I look forward to sharing the new adventures in the years, which lay ahead.
***
My Daughters Lisa, and Kerry; grandchildren, Charlotte, Chloe, Mark, Lily-Mae and Harmony-Rose. I love you; three simple words that are easy to say; but when I say them they come from the bottom of my heart.
***
To my parents, me Mam and Dad for bringing me into this World and showing me the true old fashioned values that have been the foundation of my life. You will never be forgotten Dad.
***
To my brothers and sisters, Gillian, Melanie, Derek and Peter although we seldom see each other due to the lives we all live, you are always in my thoughts.



Author’s Notes
Many have their own memories of the humbling scenes that evolved in RAF Lyneham, and Wootton Bassett; so our individual perceptions of the events that took place will differ. I write mine with honesty, integrity, compassion and sincerity in the hope to do justice to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. It is my personal tribute in memory of the fallen and for their family and friends to understand that your loved one was shown the utmost respect, and was honoured by more than you may know.
Each and every one of the fallen are as valued as the next, but it would be impossible to write a passage about the day each of the 345 fallen heroes were repatriated home, through RAF Lyneham. I hope that this does not cause distress or offence, and you will see by the way I have written the book that your loss was recognised by so many who cared.
A total of 179 British Armed Forces personnel or MOD civilians have died serving in Iraq on Operation Telic since the start of the campaign in March 2003. In Afghanistan, 453 British forces personnel or MOD civilians have died whilst serving on Operation Herrick, since the start of operations in October 2001. All are recorded in the pages of remembrance in this book and are not forgotten.



Acknowledgements
Carol Miller; by chance or fate, you came into my life at the perfect time. With humour and skills from your distinguished career, you tweaked what I had written. There is one phrase you said that still makes me laugh, when you handed me the pages you had reviewed; referring to my efforts in comparison to Les Dawson in playing the piano, “all the right words, just a few not in the right order”; your message was received in the spirit it was delivered and with enthusiasm, working together, I was proud to forward the manuscript to the publisher, to polish.
***
Stephen McCourt, a photographer with the photographic section at RAF Lyneham during these humbling years and witness to so many scenes and more that I mention in this book. I was honoured when Stephen accepted my request to design the jacket of this book, as I know he was another that really did care. Stephen and his colleague Paul Couch created a DVD of images with music that provokes the emotions that so many felt on those solemn days. I hope, one day, we can encourage the MoD to allow this to be shared and raise funds for a military charity; it would be the perfect way to complement the words of this book
***
Ryan Gearing the publisher for guidance and advice and believing in me to publish this book.
***
Vivian Foster for her skills in editing, proofreading and coating the words with a polish I could only have dreamed of. This was done with her sincerity, compassion and understanding in just how important this book is to many.
***
Ceri Pridding is a lady I first met when I walked the beat in Lyneham; always smiles on her face and part of the military family, she lived on the married quarter estate. A lovely Welsh lady with a sincere and unassuming nature; yet so much compassion for her community. She never forgot as you will clearly see the pain that was felt in the tragedy of January 2005.
***
Sandy Elliott, Cliff Warren, Jayne Taylor, Jenny Brown, Vicky Dunn and Andrea Johnson, we have communicated so many times. During our conversations, e-mails or chat on line, we have shed many tears; but amongst that was so much pride. I have learned so much about your special man and I feel I now know them from what you shared. The story I tell is very sensitive to say the least, yet each has encouraged me to publish this book. I seriously hope I have done your sons proud.
***
To an unknown soldier who served the Crown; the words in your poem are beautiful and had such a massive impact on me, thus the inspiration for the title of the book.
***
...And most importantly, those who died; may your names never be forgotten and be honoured by those who read the words written in this book. Whilst they do, may you look down on your loved ones and let them know that you are indeed - resting in peace.



Epigraph
The inspiration for the title of this book:
46 MILES
If I should fall in that far foreign land,
with my blood sweat and tears soaked up in the sand.
I shall not fear or fall with regret,
the 46 miles will never forget.
I won’t lay to rest or just drift away,
46 miles will have something to say.
I have one last task, one more mission to be done,
46 miles before the going down of the sun.
As we step off, uncertain if it’s our last,
I think of my friends that have already passed.
I remember the silence as Wootton Bassett stood still,
shoulder to shoulder the High St would fill.
Curiously as I stood, I felt so at ease,
surrounded by strangers outside the Cross Keys.
I have one last task, one more mission to be done,
46 miles before the going down of the sun.
From Tarmac to Motorway its 46 miles in all,
Police stand over me, keeping me safe standing tall.
They lead the way and watch over my kin,
for this I thank with all I have been.
The young and old fill 46 miles together,
flags and banners, salutes in all weather.
I have one last task, one more mission to be done,
46 miles before the going down of the sun.
This is how we go to these far foreign lands,
where our blood sweat and tears are soaked up in the sand.
Wootton Bassett did welcome u