Lt Col. Perry Bishop, the commanding officer of the Ripon-based 21 Engineer Regiment of the Royal Engineers, admitted to having an emotional moment when he saw knitted soldiers adorning the bollards in Ripon city centre.

He told a large crowd of civic dignitaries, volunteers, schoolchildren and members of the public, who gattered this morning  on the lawns of Ripon Inn for the launch of the city’s D-Day 80th anniversary commemoration and celebration events:

“In my 20 years of army service, I’ve never known a town or city whose people have such a close affinity with the corps of soldiers who are based here.”

Lt. Col Bishop, who is coming to the end of his two-and-a-half year posting in Ripon in the next month, added:

“I must admit, that when I saw the knitted figures of sappers on the bollards around the Market Square, I had tears of pride in my eyes and I could not have a better send off than being here today to unveil this incredible tank made of wool and wood.

“It’s a manifestation of the respect that the people of Ripon have for the Royal Engineers and in return the respect that we have for the citizens of this wonderful city.”

The Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon, Councillor Sid Hawke and his wife Linda, along with the Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd John Dobson, were among those present for this morning’s launch

Today’s unveiling of the replica Churchill bunker buster tank signalled the start of D-Day anniversary events in the city

The badge of the Royal Engineers has been faithfully reproduced in wool by the knitters of Ripon Community Project

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For a community proudly wrapped in rich military history, where the Royal Engineers have enjoyed Freedom of the City for 75 years, the countdown to the 80th anniversary, which marks the D-Day landings on five Normandy beaches, have a very special meaning.

On June 6 1944, one in four servicemen involved in Operation Overlord — the code name for the huge military operation that paved the way to the liberation of western Europe — were Royal Engineers, many of whom were trained in Ripon in readiness for their key role in clearing the way for troops who followed on behind them,

Among the weapons at their disposal was the Churchill Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE) tank which was used with terrifying effect to blast enemy bunkers with huge and uncompromising shells

The life-size replica, which is 24 feet long, nine feet wide and seven feet high,  has been created through a collaboration between Ripon Community Poppy Project and the city’s Men’s Shed who worked together in a hangar provided by the Engineers at Claro Barracks.

The tank, is a striking and symbolic centrepiece that will be seen at selected locations around the city between now and June 6, when an anniversary concert will be held at Ripon Cathedral, before Jack Churchill the great-grandson of war-time leader Sir Winston Churchill lights a beacon on the cathedral’s piazza,

Five of the people involved in creating the replica tank are pictured here, from the left: Carol Dunkley, Hazel Barker, Stuart Martin (Ripon Community Poppy Project) and Richard Thomson and Gordon Woods of Ripon Men’s Shed,

Hazel Barker, who was joint-founder of the poppy project with former mayor of Ripon Stuart Martin, told the Stray Ferret,

“We hope that the tank and D–Day anniversary decorations, which have taken tens of thousands of stitches from our tireless team of non-stop knitters, will remind local residents and visitors of the crucial part that the Royal Engineers played in securing allied victory in World War Two.”

Pictured above are some of the knitted servicemen that brought tears to the eyes of Lt Col Bishop, while a silhouette of a lone soldier can be seen below with other displays in Spa Gardens.

The D-Day heroes are remembered in this display (below) on railings in Ripon city centre

Main image: Lt Col Perry Bishop (pictured left) with Hazel Barker and Stuart Martin of Ripon Community Poppy Project

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The name of Major Bill Rudd MBE, a much loved and highly respected Royal Engineer, will live on in Ripon following a dedication and remembrance service during the regiment’s Freedom Weekend.

Veterans, serving soldiers, friends and family gathered in Spa Gardens on Saturday afternoon for the unveiling of a bench installed in his honour.

The installation was made possible with support from the Ripon Commando and Airborne branches of the Royal Engineers Association.

Facing onto the city’s War Memorial, the bench is a fitting tribute to the retired major who died six years ago following a distinguished army career.

This included service with both the 9 Parachute Squadron and 59 Independent Commando Squadron of the Royal Engineers.

Former and serving men and women came from far and wide to attend the dedication and remembrance ceremony led by the Revd Stephen Wilson.

Prior to becoming a commissioned officer, Major Rudd served as the Regimental Sergeant Major of 38 Engineer Regiment based at Claro Barracks.

He maintained his connection with comrades through setting up the Yorkshire Branch of the Airborne Engineers Association with fellow Sappers Dave Edmonds and Charlie Dunk and was made a lifetime vice-president of the association.

Major Rudd lived across the road from Spa Gardens and was a regular visitor to the parkland area, where the Ripon War Memorial is the focal point for annual Remembrance services.

Royal Engineers’ veteran Jim Phillips. who was involved, with his wife Trudie in raising money for the installation of the bench, said:

“Whenever there is a service in Ripon, I am sure Bill’s bench will serve as a meeting place for old comrades to sit, laugh and remember our friend.

“Thanks to all who contributed to this memorial and very special event.”

Our main picture shows members of the Yorkshire Branch of the Airborne Engineers Association who were among those present for the dedication ceremony

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A scheme to build 1,300 homes on historic army barracks in Ripon looks set to be approved next week.

Harrogate Borough Council officers have recommended its planning committee gives the scheme the go-ahead when it meets on Thursday.

If councillors vote to accept the recommendation, it will see Ripon’s population increase by almost 20%, with an estimated 3,000 people expected to occupy the new homes.

Building work is likely to continue until 2035 and 30% of homes would be deemed ‘affordable’.

The 85 hectare-scheme would also include a new primary school and sports pitches as well as shops, restaurants and offices that could support up to 678 jobs.

However, there are concern about the impact on health services, the road network and the loss of key sites of military history.

The report to councillors concludes:

“The proposed development will deliver a range of significant public benefits that demonstrate compliance with adopted policies and the aspirations of the Ripon Neighbourhood Plan.”

Payments for health and schools

Applicants the Secretary of State for Defence and Homes England, a non-departmental public body that funds new affordable housing in England, which are behind the proposal, have agreed to pay a minimum of £907,267 for health care facilities as part of a section 106 agreement developers pay to fund infrastructure costs associated with their schemes.

The agreement would also see the developers pay £2.7 million for primary school education and £1.9 million for secondary school education.

A two-form primary school with a playing field would be built on the site.

A computer generated image of the proposed Ripon barracks site.

Development would take place on the sites of Claro Barracks, Laver Banks and Deverell Barracks, which played key roles in the First and Second World Wars.

The report acknowledges “strong concerns” over the demolition of Deverell Barracks, which according to the non-departmental public body Historic England contains buildings that make it ‘one of the best surviving WWII temporary standardised prefabricated sites’.

The report says the developers would ‘explore retention of these structures’ but adds there are ‘significant issues with their re-use’ due to the presence of asbestos and concludes there is no ‘certainty of retention’.

Part of the current site

The significance of two military bridges on Laver Banks became apparent recently following research by Ripon Military Heritage Group and the report says the applicants have “confirmed a commitment to keep on working together” with the group.

The report says the highways authority, North Yorkshire County Council, “considers there is no defensible reason to refuse the application on highway or transportation grounds” in the wake of proposed highways changes.

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Rousing military music resounded on city streets yesterday morning as Ripon’s Royal Engineers held their annual freedom march.

Members of the 21 Engineer Regiment based at Claro Barracks, who returned to the UK in September from postings in Cyprus and Poland, were joined by a band from the Royal Corps of Army Music, as 300 uniformed men and women marched past the town hall and down Kirkgate for a service held in their honour at the cathedral.

Eyes right as the Royal Engineers march past Ripon Town Hall and take the salute from city Mayor Councillor Sid Hawke and other civic dignitaries.

In line with tradition the Engineers, who were awarded the freedom of Ripon in 1949, exercised the rights bestowed on them 73 years ago, by marching in step to the sound of the band with drums beating and bayonets fixed.

The march down Kirkgate.

In addition to the six-month United Nations peacekeeping role in Cyprus that the Engineers took up in March and the detachment to Poland, Ripon-based sappers have served on operations in Northern Ireland, Kuwait, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, providing light role close support that enables the army to live, move and fight.

The Royal Engineers attended a service at Ripon Cathedral

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Royal Engineers, driving recklessly at high speeds on a stretch of road near their Ripon base, are ‘putting lives at risk’ claim local residents.

Fears that there will soon be a human fatality, if urgent traffic calming measures are not put in place, have heightened following reports on social media that pet cats have recently been killed on Clotherhome Road.

The family pets join a mounting casualty list that also includes a Labrador puppy hit by a car.

Fears of a human fatality

Claire Charlton, who lives opposite the playing fields and within sight of two 15mph speed limit signs (pictured below) said:

“It’s only a matter of time before we will have a human fatality – things are getting out of hand.”

The mother of four and owner of two small dogs, pointed out:

“A lot of school-children use the cut through between the Doublegates estate and Clotherholme Road as a short cut on their way to and from school and it would be dreadful if it took the death of a child, to make speeding motorists realise what a danger they pose to children, other road users, dog walkers and family pets.”

Students of both Ripon Grammar School and Outwood Academy, use this short-cut from the Doublegates estate and onto the busy Clotherholme Road

Mrs Charlton, added:

“A few weeks ago, I was reversing out of my drive onto Clotherholme Road and was nearly hit by a white car that must have been going at more than 60 miles per hour.

“I followed the driver as he turned into Chatham Road, but when I came to the barrier at the entrance to the barracks, I was stopped by by camp security, who told me it wasn’t their problem.”

Batty was found dead on Clotherholme Road and his owner says the extent of his injuries indicate he was hit with considerable force by a vehicle

The loss of a family pet

On the Doublegates estate, the distraught owner of Batty, a black cat killed on the road a week ago, was tearful as she told the Stray Ferret:

“He came to us as a stray and was a beautiful, home-loving cat, who very rarely went out of our garden.

“But he didn’t come in when we called for him at bedtime and my partner found him with terrible injuries, dead on the road the following morning.”

She, added:

“Some people say, ‘what’s the fuss, it’s only a cat’ but to us Batty was a member of our family.”

Concerns have been raised by people living in the urban area and adjacent residential streets,  who say that the finger of blame points clearly at soldiers traveling to and from Claro Barracks at the far end of Clotherholme Road.

‘Letting the regiment down’

Neil Divine, who served in the Royal Engineers for 23 years – four of them in Ripon – told the Stray Ferret:

“As a former member of the regiment, I regret to say that the weight of blame rests squarely on the shoulders of some soldiers, based at the barracks, who are  letting the regiment down.

“They are seen in their uniforms driving recklessly to and from the barracks, at ridiculously high speeds.”

The section of road on the approach to the barracks has a speed limit of 15 miles per hour, but Mr Devine said:

“Not only is this regularly ignored, by most drivers, but they also speed in the 30mph section that goes past homes where there are families with children and pets – all of whom are being put at risk because of this reckless behaviour.”

The Stray Ferret has asked the Ministry of Defence for a response to the claims but did not receive one at the time of publication.

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Residents in Ripon have accused Homes England of a lack of transparency around its proposed 1,300 housing development at Ripon Barracks.

The land at Claro Barracks, Deverell Barracks and Laver Banks is being developed by the government’s housing agency, Homes England, and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). There are 1,300 homes mooted and it’s designated within Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan.

Homes England is set to publish its full masterplan for the site next week. On its website last year it said residents have a “once in a lifetime” chance to influence how the masterplan is formed.

However, Barbara Brodigan from the Ripon Spa Residents Action Group told the Stray Ferret that lockdown has meant local residents have failed to have their voices heard.

Ms Brodigan said:

“There’s been a lot of strong feeling about this. We’ve had a problem with lockdown that it prevented residents not being consulted properly and not being listened to. They are not being given any information.”

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Homes England held a consultation last year to get the public’s views on the development.

They had planned to engage with residents again in April, but Ms Brodigan said these meetings failed to materialise due to lockdown.

She said traffic in Ripon is already “horrendous” and the addition of an extra 1,300 homes will make congestion worse. Homes England have so far proposed several minor improvements to the local road infrastructure including the addition of two new mini-roundabouts.

Ripon City Council also commissioned its own traffic report into the development which is still yet to be published.

Ms Brodigan criticised Julian Smith MP, for not meeting with the group since January or updating residents about his discussions with Homes England.

Last week, Mr Smith published on Facebook a letter he sent to Homes England detailing concerns raised by residents around transport infrastructure.

He also called on Homes England to hold a “renewed round of engagement” in ways “as open as possible”.

Ms Brodigan added:

“Where is Julian Smith? These people are accountable to us but they are not sharing information with us.”

Julian Smith’s office told the Stray Ferret that he is yet to receive a reply from Homes England.

Homes England sent the following statement to the Stray Ferret:

“We are shortly going to write to local people to invite them to view an online exhibition we are holding to explain our proposed planning application, this follows on from the exhibition we held last year and the meetings we have had with a range of community groups.

“We understand that because of the restrictions in place due to COVID 19 we have not been able to hold the usual face-to face exhibition, but the online exhibition will be supported by an explanatory video, which will provide local people with significant information.

“The Exhibition will provide detail about our proposed transport improvements, which covers a range of measures, including improvements to junctions and other works.

“Our first principle is to create a development that sustainably helps reduce car journeys by providing local facilities. We understand that this is not practical for everyone so as a next step we will also enhance the pedestrian and cyclists’ routes within the development and to Ripon City centre. We understand that a development of this size will create extra car journeys and working with the local Highways Authorities our modelling has identified the need for a number of junction improvements which we will explain at the exhibition.”