IT may not be generally known, but the town of Halstead had close ties with The Dorset Regiment during the Second World War.

After four years serving in Malta, Egypt, Sicility and Italy, soldiers were stationed in Halstead for recuperation.

Many grew to appreciate our town, and settled there once the conflict came to an end in 1945.

Mr A Kelson, an ex member gave a brief history of the regiment, and how it became associated with Halstead during his speech on June 12, 1988.

Afterwards, he presented our then Mayor with a plaque.

The Dorsets spent three years on the North West Frontier prior to leaving Bombay in India in June 1939.

It was intended that they return to the UK, but the possibility of war caused them to stop at Malta, where they stayed for three-and-a-half years.

In March 1943 they joined the Egyptian Campaign followed by an invasion of Sicily and Italy.

In October 1943 they were relieved and returned to the UK for the first time in many years.

After a gruelling 24 hour journey, they arrived at 2am on a cold November morning in Halstead, where they were billeted.

The regiment made its headquarters in various prominent buildings in and around the town.

During February 1944 they were visited by King George the Sixth.

But soon afterwards they left again to join the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

The casualties suffered by the Regiment during the conflicts were listed by Mr Kelson.

However 15 members decided to settle in the Braintree District when the war ended.

Maybe, if you are reading this and have relatives in Dorset, you may be related to one of those 15.