Thousands of people across west Wiltshire were left disappointed on Saturday after the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight cancelled a planned flypast by a Lancaster bomber.
The Lancaster flypast was expected to take place over Trowbridge at 2.39pm to support the town’s Armed Forces Day celebrations, including the town becoming the first parish council in Wiltshire to adopt the Armed Forces covenant.
But the BBMF team were forced to issue a statement saying: “The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is currently investigating a fault on a Merlin engine and has taken the decision to temporarily pause flying.
“Several of our aircraft are powered by the Merlin and, as a result, these historic aircraft will be unable to support Armed Forces Day events around the country as we would have liked.
“This is hugely disappointing for us and to all those who love to see these iconic aircraft, however safety remains our paramount concern.”
However, residents across the area were able to enjoy a flypast from the famous Royal Air Force Red Arrows display team display at 5.51pm.
Earlier in the afternoon, Trowbridge's deputy mayor Cllr Denise Bates signed the armed forces covenant during an open ceremony in the town park attended by the Commanding Officer of the 14th Regiment Royal Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew McDermott MBE RA, accompanied by Warrant Officer Class 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) Gemma Begley.
Cllr Bates said: “Trowbridge’s military history makes for a rich tapestry. Whether through providing barracks for the county’s military personnel – the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, manufacturing Spitfire aircraft during the Second World War, or providing hospitalisation and respite care for those returning from conflicts.
“As many of you are aware, the 14th Regiment Royal Artillery was granted the honour of the Freedom of the Town in 2014, in recognition of the Regiment’s service to Trowbridge, when it was garrisoned here at Holy Trinity during the Second World War. It is therefore an honour to have Lt Colonel McDermott, the Commanding Officer of the Regiment, joining us here today on this auspicious occasion.
“Trowbridge Town Council has always sought to support – either through our own services where we can, or signposting and assisting where we cannot. The signing of this document is an act that publicly endorses that stance. It is a living document that seeks to ensure no member of the military community will be left knowingly disadvantaged.”
Events at the family-friendly Armed Forces Day celebrations included music from the Bratton Silver Band marking the start of the signing of the covenant from 11am, followed by celebratory music, including The Military Wives Choir and the Steeple Rocks Choir, a display of equipment from the 4th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry, and a fun dog show to raise funds for the veterans charity Help for Heroes.
Trowbridge Town Council leader Stewart Palmen said: “This year we also have a lot of focus on 'Uniformed Services Day' which will be a much larger event on the 9th of September. This also covers nurses, firemen and the police etc. making it far more inclusive event.”
Trowbridge MP Dr Andrew Murrison was on defence minister duty, representing the government at the Armed Forces Day celebration in Falmouth, Cornwall.
Other Wiltshire towns, including Tidworth and Warminster, and the Royal Electrical and Medchanical Engineers Museum at Lyneham, also staged Armed Forces Day events on Saturday.
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