Marlborough Salutes its Soldiers

4 Military Intelligence Battalion hold Afghanistan operational medals parade in historic Marlborough

80 soldiers of 45 Company, 4 Military Intelligence Battalion (4MI Bn) who have recently returned from a challenging and successful six month deployment in Afghanistan received their operational medals at a parade in historic Marlborough today (Thursday 28 November 2013).

 They were joined by over 100 of their fellow soldiers from the Battalion and marched from Marlborough College into the High Street to be presented with their medals by The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), General Sir Nicholas Houghton GCB CBE ADC Gen The Colonel Commandant of the Intelligence Corps and the Mayor of Marlborough, Mr Guy Loosmore.

 They were led in by The Band of the Grenadier Guards, one of the world’s premier military bands and The Battalion's adopted greyhound "Blue". 4 MI Bn also exercised its Freedom of Marlborough by marching with fixed bayonets and flags flying. This was granted to the battalion in June 2011 making it the first Army unit to have been awarded Marlborough’s Freedom of Entry since 1204.

 4MI Bn as it is known today, was formed on 3 September 2001 but can trace its roots back to the D-Day landings of the Second World War. 4 MI Bn’s mission is to deliver intelligence and counter intelligence support to the Army. In Afghanistan, the Battalion provided vital information to the Chain of Command in order for tactical decisions to be made.

 General Houghton addressed the troops saying:

 “I think the links that exist at a local level in towns such as Marlborough and units of the Army and the Armed Forces are fundamental in helping those units when they deploy on operations and the knowledge that they have that close association and close support. ”

  Major Jim Holl, the Officer Commanding the recently returned 45 Company said:

"What a day! The towns folk turned out in huge numbers. A huge and proud day for the battalion and great for my soldiers - just fantastic."

 The parade was watched by both Marlborough Town Council dignitaries and families and friends, and hundreds of school children turned out to wave and cheer. The close ties between the town and the Battalion is underlined by the Battalion’s use of the greyhound as its emblem as illustrated in the Town’s coat of arms.

photo's courtesy of Cpl Daniel Wiepen RLC
Crown Copyright

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PLANNING PROPOSAL CONCERNING LAND OFF RABLEY WOOD, MARLBOROUGH

The public and any interested party are invited to attend an exhibition relating to a proposal for residential development on land off Rabley Wood View, Marlborough.

The event will be held at Marlborough Town Hall on Tuesday 29th October 2013 between 3.00pm and 8.00pm.

The site is the existing area of open space to the north of Rabley Wood View and lies within the limits of development of Marlborough. The site is owned by Wiltshire Council but the application is to be made by the Manton Estate.

The proposal is to develop the existing 1.7 hectare area of open space (owned by Wiltshire Council) for housing and provide a large replacement area of open space (14 hectares in size) in the form of a Country Park on the adjacent land which forms part of the Manton Estate.

The proposal is to submit an outline planning application for the residential development of the site. Whilst the application will be in outline form it will be supported by an indicative layout. Details of the scale and form of the proposed development will also be provided.

People who are interested are invited to call in at any time between the hours above to view the plans and discuss the proposal with the applicant’s agents. There will also be an opportunity to leave written comments should you wish to do so.

In due course a planning application will be submitted to Wiltshire Council when you will have a further chance to comment on the proposals.

See also online press coverage at Marlborough News Online

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First World War Commemorations

Recording Marlborough’s First World War Stories - November 9th and 10th 2013 at Marlborough Town Hall

Next year sees the centenary of the start of the First World War, an event that changed the world forever. Every family in Britain was affected to some degree and those living in Marlborough and the surrounding villages were no exception.

To mark the beginning of Marlborough’s preparations for the centenary an event is being organised for the weekend of 9th and 10th November between 10am – 4pm in the Town Hall.  People living in Marlborough and surrounding villages are invited to come along and bring with them any photographs, objects, letters, diaries, mementos and stories/memories of the First World War.  These will be digitally recorded - photographed and oral histories recorded – to create a local digital archive, which will form a permanent record of Marlborough in the First World War.  It will also form the basis of exhibitions in the town over the four years of the centenary.

Everyone is welcome to come along – even if you have recently moved to the area .  The First World War was a global event and we would like to hear from people whose families were living in other parts of the country or abroad, as well as those from the local area.

The event is planned to coincide with the Remembrance weekend and will include displays and stands from local people and organisations. It will showcase some of the events organised for next year and provide an opportunity for people to get involved.

Marlborough played an active role in the First World War. It was used to billet successive companies of soldiers and at times took on the appearance of a garrison town. It had a Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital run by local women (located in the Wesley Hall in Oxford Street) and its own detachment of the Volunteer Training Corps, which was similar in nature to the Home Guard of World War Two.

For more information, please contact marlboroughww1@hotmail.co.uk

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