Duke of Edinburgh mourned

Tributes are being paid throughout Swindon and Wiltshire to the Duke of Edinburgh, whose death at 99 was announced earlier today.

Swindon Borough Council has opened an online book of condolence at www.swindon.gov.uk/xfp/form/854
A council spokesperson said: "We are saddened to hear of the death of HRH Prince Philip The Duke of Edinburgh and our thoughts are with Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family at this sad time."
North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson said in a statement on social media: "Prince Philip fought fascism, championed liberty, served countless charities, cared deeply about the environment and inspired young people through the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.
"He was a remarkable man who will be remembered as a dedicated public servant. My thoughts are with the Queen, who has lost her companion in life. RIP Prince Philip."
Wiltshire Council also voiced sadness and condolences to the Queen, and its own online book of condolence can be found at http://orlo.uk/Qj0QN
Wiltshire Chief Constable Kier Pritchard wrote: "I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh earlier today.
"HRH was a global ambassador and tireless servant to this country for over 60 years. Our condolences go out to HM The Queen and the Royal Family at this tragic time."
Wiltshire Lord-Lieutenant Sarah Rose Troughton said: "It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the death of HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh.
"As HM Lord-Lieutenant and on behalf of the people of Wiltshire and Swindon, I would like to send heartfelt condolences and prayers to Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness's immediate family.
"His Royal Highness devoted a major part of his long life to serving Her Majesty The Queen but also had his own full and varied programme of commitments and interests, all carried out with great aplomb and of course a sense of humour.
"He was a questioning and engaging guest as those who met him on his visits to the county and to his regiments will testify. We last had the pleasure of HRH's company at The Orders of St John Care Trust's Haywood Care Centre in Devizes and the opening of the Prince Philip Barracks at REME Lyneham Garrison. 
"His Royal Highness will be much missed and will be remembered with the greatest affection and respect."
The Duke made several official visits to Swindon during his long life, both with the Queen and in his own right.

The first was on February 12, 1960, when he came to perform two duties and crowds of cheering spectators lined the streets along his route through the town.
The first of those duties was at the Drill Hall in Church Street, where he presented an accolade called the Trophy Challenge Shield to 4th Battalion The Wiltshire Regiment (TA).
Later that day, he visited what was then Pressed Steel but is now BMW’s plant in Stratton St Margaret, where he was given a guided tour by managers and frequently paused to speak with production line workers. During this period, the Duke was very active in promoting British Industry and encouraging bosses to make their businesses as competitive as possible.
He returned to Swindon only a little over a year later, on Friday, April 14, 1961. The Duke began a busy day in Swindon when he arrived by helicopter on new playing field at Drakes Way in Walcot.
His first duties were to officially open the fields, unveil a plaque on the sports pavilion and start three cross-country races.
His car was then driven along a route lined with cheering residents to the town centre, where he unveiled a plaque commemorating the start of work on what would eventually become the shopping area which remains there to this day.
After that, he headed for Regent Circus and what was then the new extension to Swindon College. The building was to remain until 2012, when it was demolished to make way for the Regent Circus Development which includes a cinema and restaurants.
Among the dignitaries, students, staff and spectators who greeted the Duke outside the college was a four-legged gatecrasher in the form of a stray dog. The creature was duly greeted by the amused royal visitor.
The next time the Duke had business in Swindon was in June of 1971 when he accompanied the Queen to the opening of the Wyvern Theatre and the new civic centre of which it was a part.
It wasn’t until February of 2003 that he returned to the town, where he faced a day every bit as busy as the one he had spent here 42 years earlier. As had happened in 1961, he visited a college, but this time it was New College, where he talked to students about their courses.
His other duties were the official opening of the Great Western Hospital and the switching on of the Jubilee Clock.
The clock, created in honour of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee the year before, stood for several years in the town centre before being removed, repaired and re-sited at the station.