Veterans join protest at plan to build homes at Shrewsbury's Copthorne Barracks - video and pictures
The sound of military marching was heard once more at the entrance to a Shropshire barracks that has been closed for two years.
Veteran servicemen and members of the public came together to protest at plans to demolish most of Shrewsbury's Copthorne Barracks site and build houses on it.
Dozens, many in uniform, gathered at the Beacon Hotel in Copthorne Road and then made their way to the gates of the mothballed Army base.
The site is set to host 228 homes as the Ministry of Defence looks to sell the land to developers.
But George McGuigan, of the 1st Battalion Light Infantry, leading the march, said there were about 3,000 soldiers once based at the barracks who were united in wanting to preserve at least part of the site for posterity.
He said: "It's only right the MoD take into consideration what we are saying.
"What we would like to achieve is to retain the keep and the parade square.
"The scared parade square is fundamental because many a man's ashes has been scattered there.
"We believe the dereliction that has happened in the two years since the closure is not as bad as the MoD is making it out to be. It could be refurbished."
Veterans branded the sale of barracks as despicable – and pleaded with the Ministry of Defence to save the site.
Campaigners said the county's military heritage was at risk due to the closure of the barracks in Shrewsbury and those at Tern Hill, near Market Drayton, which is due to close by 2020.
Shropshire Regimental Museum, based at Shrewsbury Castle, is also facing funding cuts.
Mr McGuigan said the decision by defence secretary Michael Fallon to sell off former barracks land across the country was "despicable".
He said: "We need housing, yes, but it's not right that it should be built on land from vast amounts of barracks up and down the UK.
"For the past two years we have failed to have reunions at the barracks because of the closure in 2014.
"That's absolutely disgusting as some of these guys have done 22 years there – they walked through the gates as boys and walked out as men.
"Each and every one of us is in agreement, the reunions should be held here – Shrewsbury Town Football Club is not the place."
Ed Lowe, of the 2nd Light Infantry, now the landlord at The Plough, in Wellington, added: "The barracks playing field would do us.
"We could incorporate it with the Territorial Army centre that's currently there, all they would have to do is move the fence a bit.
"I think they should give us that, some of the men who came through here died for their country."
Mr McGuigan said there were 3,527 veterans sleeping rough on the streets of Britain.
He added that many veterans often had to rely on handouts from charities to survive.
Also joining the march were Sisters Sharon Steedman, 61, and Janet Hall, 67, whose father Thomas Hall was colour sergeant at Copthorne Barracks.
Mrs Steedman, who now lives in Meole Brace, was born at the barracks, which appears on her birth certificate.
"The barracks is my home and I don't want to lose it.
"It would be a loss to the whole town, we need somewhere to come back to to remember it," she said.
