THE Duke of Edinburgh put his skills of being the ‘world’s most experienced plaque unveiler’ to good use earlier today, as he unveiled a new barracks at MOD Lyneham named in his honour.

The Prince Philip Barracks, which has been newly refurbished, is situated at the Wiltshire base and will act as a new headquarters for the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), who recently left sites in Arborfield and Bordon.

“I just want to congratulate everybody who had a hand in converting this place into a new training establishment,” said His Royal Highness.

“It really is wonderful from what I have seen of it.

“It must have been a huge operation bringing everybody down here and I think everyone involved in that deserves great credit.

“And I hope that those who are going to make use of the facilities appreciate it.

“Now you are going to see the world’s most experienced plaque unveiler.

“This is different because I’m told this is going to say the Prince Philip Barracks and I’m very flattered that you should have chosen that. I only hope it’s on there.”

Arriving shortly before 10.30am after being driven in as opposed to flying due to thick fog, The Duke was welcomed by the Lord-Lieutenant for Wiltshire, Sarah Troughton, along with other dignitaries including Master General REME Lieutenant General Andrew Figgures.

The Duke, who has been Colonel-in-Chief of the Corps of the REME since 1969, was given a tour of the barracks beginning with the Defence School of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering giving him chance to speak with soldiers and asking them about the course.

This was followed by a visit to the technical training building to view the facility and meet soldiers from the newly formed 8 Training Battalion REME, the REME Arms School and the School of Army Aeronautical Engineering.

He then unveiled the plaque in front of dignitaries, soldiers, members of the public and school children from Lynetham Primary School.

State-of-the-art technical training will be delivered at The Prince Philip Barracks, with soldiers and officers deployed from the REME acting as technicians, mechanics and fabricators that consistently inspect, repair, modify and maintain the large array of equipment of the British Army.