TRIBUTES have been paid to former Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Field Marshal Sir Roland Gibbs who died at the weekend.

Sir Roland, 83, died on Sunday. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire for seven years from 1989 to 1996 and came from a military background, serving as Chief of the General Staff from 1976 to 1979.

Known as Roly to his friends, he was born at Flax Bourton, near Bristol, on June 22 1921, the younger son of an officer who had served in the North Somerset Yeomanry in the First World War.

He served in the Second World War. He went to North Africa with the 2nd Battalion as part of the 1st Armoured Division in 1941 and saw his first action early in 1942 south of Benghazi.

In 1943 he and his unit, the 2nd Battalion of the 4th Armoured Brigade, landed in Taranto before returning to England in January 1994 to prepare for Operation Overlord D-Day.

He arrived in France on June 7 and was wounded for a third time after a heavy counter attack, south-west of Caen.

After the war he carried out more training, before heading to Libya and later Oman where he was tasked to look after security for several oil companies working in the region. Returning to Latimer Staff College in England, he spent his time developing solution to potential military problems, including working up a paper on contingency planning for invasion from outer space.

He also served in Cyprus and in Washington DC.

But it is in his role as Lord Lieutenant that he will be most remembered.

Coun Derique Montaut (Lab Moredon) who was Swindon's mayor from 1990 to 1991 said he remembered Sir Roland as someone who took an interest in all community matters.

He said: "He was a Lord Lieutenant for the people, and was always interested in all things community, a real nice man and I am happy to say I knew him well."

Coun Doreen Dart (Con Blunsdon) who was Swindon's mayor from 1993 to 1994 said that Sir Roland had Swindon at heart.

She said: "He was an absolutely charming and delightful man, from the old school and he had Swindon and at heart.

"He supported me as mayor, and I think it's clear that when the Queen chooses a Lord Lieutenant, she knows the right people to pick particularly for Swindon and Wiltshire as a whole."

Sir Roland was installed as the 155th Constable of the Tower of London and an accomplished artist.

He was married, in 1955 to Davina Merry. They had two sons and a daughter.

John Bush, the new Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire said: "I knew Sir Roland. He was a delightful man but he had a very discreet nature. He clearly has Wiltshire at heart and was a very distinguished soldier. He will be missed."

Anthony Osborne