Route to Victory & 65 Anniversary of VE Day Celebrations with the Ramsbury Royal British Legion

Report from Nick Jackson, Ramsbury RBL Club Chairman.

On May Day Bank Holiday the village of Ramsbury in Wiltshire which is well known to the US 101st Airborne (seen in the TV series Band of Brothers) hosted a spectacular parade and show made possible by the event organiser Mr Keith Brigstock, heading up the Military Vehicle Trust.  The whole weekend was a tribute to and celebration of those who took part in Operation Market Garden and the 65th Anniversary of VE Day. 

On Friday 30 April the Ramsbury Legion Club which was decked out in 1940s style, staged a ‘Songs That Won the War’ evening.  The local choir helped some of the less able (tuneful) singers in the community to sing songs from the era, backed only by a piano donated just for that event.  On Saturday 1st of May the Club hosted Swinging Jim Driscoll a 1940s swing & jazz band, and a very popular Burlesque singer/dancer by the name of Memphis Belle.  A great night with over 100 re-enactors dressed in uniform coming along to the Club to support the dancer.  Sunday was a refined affair in the local village hall in the shape of a dinner dance with the Legion Club providing a respite by putting on a WW2 quiz which was won in great style by the re-enactors.

At 10am on Monday 3rd the main parade set off with a great turnout of 18 Standard Bearers from the British Legion at the lead (listed below with many thanks to those who attended).  Following them up were the local Air Cadets, Army Cadets & Scouts with re-enactors carrying standards from various countries involved in Operation Market Garden.  After this marching element came some 150 walking re-enactors and approximately 30 armoured tanks, half tracks, trucks, jeeps and motorcycles. Maj Gen Patrick Cordingley DSO kindly took the salute from the parade.  The main event field was opened at 11am and the day continued with various displays but the Spitfire ‘v’ Messerschmitt dogfight stole the show for many with a great air acrobatics display.

This was a great event for the village of Ramsbury and it served to open up the doors of the British Legion Club to many people who would not ordinarily come in.  It also served to highlight that the Legion is an organisation which is moving forward in its attitudes, the days when the curtains remained closed hiding the Club from the outside world and people were leapt upon for membership proof at the door have long since gone.  Many thanks to the people of Ramsbury, the re-enactors and the event organisers for helping put Ramsbury British Legion Branch and Club firmly on the map.  Most of all thanks to the County Committee, who helped make the parade such a success.

Standards on parade:  Wiltshire County Union Flag, Royal British Legion (RBL) & Womens Section (WS),  Melksham RBL, Bratton WS, Devizes RBL, Trowbridge RBL, Tisbury WS, Chippenham RBL, Potterne RBL, Ramsbury RBL & WS, Heytsbury WS, Hungerford RBL, Lambourne RBL, Farringdon RBL, Shirvenham RBL & Newbury Royal Artillery Association.