The bodies of military personnel killed on duty have since 16 June 2008 been driven to the special armed forces department of pathology at the John Radcliffe Hospital, where post mortems take place. The cortège passes along Marsh Lane and Headley Way, and the left turn into the hospital road has become known as “the final turn”. Initially the cortège has arrived in Headington from RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, but since September 2011 it has come from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
Members of the Royal British Legion always hold tributes in Headington near St Anthony of Padua Church in Headley Way, and members of the general public are welcome to join them. In 2009 alone over a hundred hearses passed this way to the JR, but thankfully there are far fewer repatriations now: there were none at all in 2016.
Photographs of some of the Headley Way tributes
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On Saturday 8 April 2017 at 11am the above plaque was unveiled outside St Anthony of Padua Church by Tim Stevenson, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, to remember all those who have been repatriated:
- Oxford Mail, 21 February 2017: “Ceremony in April will honour 457 soldiers who died in Afghan conflict”
- Oxford Mail, 8 April 2017: “Memorial honouring 457 fallen troops unveiled in ceremony”
On 28 October 2016 volunteers planted one King Alfred Trumpet daffodil bulb on this land outside the church for each person who died:
- Oxford Mail, 28 October 2016: “Floral tribute for repatriated Afghanistan troops”
Carterton Tribute Arrangements
with a box to sign up for any future repatriation notifications
http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/repatriations
