Leave us along - Letter to editors of the National Newspapers,
15th July 2009
Sir,
We who represent the people of the town of Wootton Bassett, are honoured and humbled that the way we have paid our respects to our fallen soldiers in every weather and for upwards of two years now has touched people in the way it has, and that in a way we stand proxy for the grief of the nation.

But we are simply the ordinary people of a very special town standing still and quiet for a few moments in a mark of sorrow and gratitude for those who have given their lives in service of the Nation.  We welcome people from all over the country who come to join us, and we are proud that the national media has broadcast our moment's stillness to the world, although we'd be grateful for slightly less intrusive media coverage in the future. We welcome visiting generals and senior politicians, if they would like to come, and simply mingle with the crowds. But we'd prefer no pomp, nor militarization. It’s the people of the town; no more nor less than that.

What’s more, as a town, we'd much prefer that there was no further discussion of any recognition for what we do, or at least certainly not until its all over and that happy day has arrived when there are to be no more of these "repatriations." We really do NOT want to be "Royal Wootton Bassett", nor be awarded the GC, nor rename our High Street in any way at all. Its not about us. Its about our fallen brothers and sisters, husbands and friends. The power and pathos of the occasion is its simplicity; its peace and quiet in an angry world. And we, the people of Wootton Bassett, want it to stay exactly like that.

Yours
James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire
Steve Bucknell, Mayor of Wootton Bassett
Maurice Baker, President, Wootton Bassett Royal British Legion
Chris Wannell, Leader, Wootton Bassett Town Council

Comment
A similar view was posted in the Swindon Advertiser online comments echoing the presence of the media at these quite poignant occasions:

Posted by Norro
Wednesday 15th July 2009 5.19pm
Swindon Advertiser
Disappointment and Anger describe my feelings yesterday. Where has the respect and dignity gone ? The Media have made the repatriations into a tourist attraction ! Exactly how many cameras and reporters does it need to cover such a moment ? Everywhere you turned, cameras were pointing, reporters climbing all over our historic town and buildings like a disease just to get 'the best shot'. Absolutely ridiculous! This is supposed to be an intimate, personal moment for families and friends of the fallen, which the good folk of Wootton Bassett also stand silent to pay their own respects. Yesterday however was not such an occasion. As part of the Retained Fire Service in Wootton Bassett, we as a crew, when possible, turn out and join the community to pay our respects to the servicemen and women and have stood silent on many occasions. I could not believe the amount of media vehicles that were parked along the high street, taking up virtually all of the public parking spaces, the amount of infectious, plague-like reporters trying to get thoughts of the people. We and the town do not do this to be famous, nor to be in national papers, nor to get our faces on national and world TV, we do it out of RESPECT.

I felt angered at the media 'hustle and bustle' and generally disappointed in the way the repatriation was reported. Wootton Bassett does not want to be re-named, nor do we need our High Street re-named, we are Wootton Bassett. A patriotic town, no different to any other town or village in the country. It is only due to the fact that the journey of the fallen happens to pass through our town that we are now 'on the map'. We now get 'day trippers' coming, just to say they have been here, no doubt some would want a t-shirt too ! In my opinion, I think its now time for the media to back off.

Yes, let local news report it, but it does not need the 'army' of the world media to descend on our picturesque town to capture these sensitive moments. Lets remember why we line the High Street, to pay our respects to our soldiers and their families. I do hope that that the media take note, take a step back and let this town return to normal.
Thank you.