A musical tribute to Wootton Bassett which honours the return of British service personnel killed abroad is to be played in public for the first time today.
The piece of music was composed by Major Pete Curtis of the Royal Marines Band Service as a thank you to the people of the town for their role in paying their respects on behalf of the nation to the fallen.
The town became famous for its residents turning out as repatriation convoys travel through the town from the nearby RAF Lyneham base where the bodies of the servicemen and women are flown into.
The piece of music Wootton Bassett, which is a five-minute march, includes a recreation of the sound of a C17 Globemaster aircraft flying overhead and the town's church bells can also be heard.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: "Initially a small gesture by residents, led by the local branch of the Royal British Legion, the poignant and emotional occasions have grown in significance and now act as a focal point for the entire nation."
The original score of the music will be presented to the Mayor of Wootton Bassett, Cllr Mary Champion, at a ceremony held at Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, Hampshire.
An excerpt of the music will be played by the Royal Marines Band Portsmouth during the event.
The world premiere will be performed at the South Coast Proms which features the Massed Bands of Her Majesty's Royal Marines at Whale Island, Portsmouth, on June 25 and 26.
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