THE memory of Dorset soldiers and the Dorset Regiment is set to live on in a plaque unveiled by the Duke of Kent.

Old soldiers and army cadets joined the Queen's cousin for a special ceremony at County Hall in Dorchester following a long campaign by former Dorset regiment soldier Derek Julian for a lasting memorial to fallen comrades and his former regiment.

The Duke was welcomed to County Hall by chairman of Dorset County Council John Peake and also met with new Dorchester mayor David Barrett and his wife Lynda.

Cadets from the Thomas Hardye School's Combined Cadet Force formed an honour guard for the royal visitor.

And members of the school's choir and drama group entertained those gathered with music and poems before the duke unveiled the plaque.

Mr Julian, who served with the Dorsets in Korea, said the plaque was a lasting reminder of those who served in the Dorset Regiment, which later became the Devon Regiment and more recently became part of the Rifles.

He said: "We have an obligation to keep the memories of the Dorset Regiment alive. I would suggest that they could be remembered by flying a flag over county hall once a year."

Mr Julian said that it was also important that servicemen and women who have died since the Second World War were remembered in someway. He then invited the Duke of Kent, who was the colonel in chief of the Devon and Dorset Regiment until its amalgamation, to unveil the plaque.

The Duke said: "It gives me great pleasure to unveil this plaque which is dedicated to the glorious record and spirit of the regiment."

The plaque will go on display in the entrance to County Hall and a replica will be installed at Dorchester South railway station where raw recruits to the Dorset Regiment used to arrive for training. The Duke was later invited to lunch in the Colliton Club before leaving for other engagements in Dorset.

  • Members of the Rifles, which formed when the Devon and Dorset Regiment amalgamated with The Light Infantry, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry and The Royal Green Jackets, will exercise their freedom of Dorchester on September 22.