Wootton Bassett will be at the centre of a 250 mile march next month in aid of the Royal British Legion – each mile representing one serviceman or woman killed in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001.

Former and existing service personnel from all the Armed services will march from various sites in the UK to Wootton Bassett on November 9, before setting off for London, at 11.30am.

They will take with them a book of remembrance, which will have been kept at St Bartholomew’s Church for the previous five days, and present it at a ceremony at The Royal Albert Hall on November 12.

The £1 million march will coincide with the launch of the British Legion’s Field of Remembrance, during which thousands of crosses will be set up at Lydiard Park in Swindon.

It is one of only three such remembrance sites across the UK, the other two being Westminster Abbey in London and Cathays Park in Cardiff.

Monika Geoghegan, the British Legion’s manager for Wiltshire, said: “It’s a beautiful site, there’s no doubt. I also think the march is an amazing thing to do and, as it is for the poppy appeal, we want to support it all we can.”

The field of remembrance at Lydiard Park will be open from 9am to 4pm on November 9 to 21.

Royal British Legion repatriation officer Anne Bevis said: “Lydiard Park has been very kind for letting us use the garden.

“It’s a great honour that they want to do this near Wootton Bassett. We lose the repatriations next year so it is very appropriate that it is being done here.”

Wootton Basset town councillor Chris Wannell said: “It is a great honour to the town, although we don’t do it to receive any honour. It’s nice that people think so much of our town.”

To dedicate a cross, visit www.

poppy.org.uk/remembrance/field-of-remembrance