Poundbury may have its own Kohima Square (From Thisisdorset)

Poundbury may have its own Kohima Square

11:32am Monday 3rd March 2008 in News By Dan Goater

A SQUARE in Poundbury will be named in honour of Dorset Regiment soldiers.

A list of potential names has been forwarded to Dorchester Town Council by the Duchy of Cornwall for consideration.

The announcement is a compromise for The Rifles - the regiment eventually formed from the Dorsets - who had originally called for regimental names to be used for roads and streets in the urban extension.

The Rifles' secretary, Lt Col Geoff Nicholls, said: "Of course we think it's tremendous news. It shows a clear link between the regiment that represents the county and places that are within the county itself."

Lt Col Nicholls said the name the regiment favours for the square would be Kohima - an Indian town where a key battle was won by troops including the Dorsets during the Burmese campaign of World War Two.

Lt Col Nicholls said: "Kohima was at the top of our list for two reasons.

"The first is that it is relatively recent, having been in 1944, and the other reason is because it was such a crucial battle in the Far East during World War Two and the Dorsets played a major role in winning it.

"There are still many individuals living in Dorset that would have been involved in the battle."

Poundbury development manager, Simon Conibear, confirmed that a regimental name will be used for a square near Queen Mother Square in correspondence with Lt Col Nicholls.

He added that it would be 'a few years' before work starts and suggested regimental names might also be used for public buildings instead.

Among the suggested names for buildings are Peninsula, a military campaign the Dorsets engaged in, and Primus In Indis, the regiment's motto.

Mr Conibear said: "I think using a name for a building would be the next most appropriate thing and will have a fairly high status in the development.

"We have not resolved yet which name from The Rifles' list will be used at the square, but obviously Kohima is an important one."