Last night I spent a very enjoyable evening with Officers and Senior NCOs based at Dalton Barracks who had just returned from Afghanistan and Kuwait. The Vale of White Horse, as with much of Oxfordshire is a part of the worldthat has deep military ties. In the West is the Defence Academy, and in the East Dalton Barracks itself. Not far away are the RAF bases of Brize Norton and Benson. Much of the residential and industrial development both existing and proposed happens to be on old airfields, a remnant of the last WorldWar. It is an accident of geography that Abingdon hosts the returningheroes, yet to the West in Faringdon there are regular tributes to thoseservicemen who have fallen on the battlefield. At the homecoming parade onWednesday the people of Abingdon showed their support for the men and womenof 3 & 4 Logistic Support Regiments, and they did so on behalf of the whole district who are rightly proud of the courage and fortitude shown by these soldiers.