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| Bodies of soldiers brought home | Bodies of soldiers brought home |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| The bodies of two UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan, including the most senior Army officer to die in action since the Falklands War, have been repatriated. | The bodies of two UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan, including the most senior Army officer to die in action since the Falklands War, have been repatriated. |
| A plane carrying the coffins of Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, 39, from Oxfordshire, and Trooper Joshua Hammond, 18, from Devon, touched down at RAF Lyneham. | |
| A private memorial is being held before the coffins pass through the nearby Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett. | |
| The pair died after a bomb blew up their armoured vehicle on Wednesday. | The pair died after a bomb blew up their armoured vehicle on Wednesday. |
| Col Thorneloe, from Kirtlington, near Oxford, of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards in Aldershot, and Trooper Hammond, from Plymouth, of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, were travelling as part of a resupply convoy. | Col Thorneloe, from Kirtlington, near Oxford, of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards in Aldershot, and Trooper Hammond, from Plymouth, of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, were travelling as part of a resupply convoy. |
| Six other soldiers were injured in the blast near Lashkar Gah in Helmand province. | Six other soldiers were injured in the blast near Lashkar Gah in Helmand province. |
| Shortly after 1100 BST on Monday, the C-17 Globemaster, transporting the coffins, landed at the RAF base. | Shortly after 1100 BST on Monday, the C-17 Globemaster, transporting the coffins, landed at the RAF base. |
| The families of the two men are first paying their respects during a memorial at a chapel on the site, before the cortege proceeds to Wootton Bassett. | |
| Prince Charles: "It is completely heartbreaking" | Prince Charles: "It is completely heartbreaking" |
| Hundreds of British Legion veterans, shopkeepers and local residents are expected to line the streets later to honour the dead. | Hundreds of British Legion veterans, shopkeepers and local residents are expected to line the streets later to honour the dead. |
| BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, a personal friend of Col Thorneloe, was expected to attend. | BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, a personal friend of Col Thorneloe, was expected to attend. |
| Prince Charles and Gordon Brown both paid tribute to the men last week. | Prince Charles and Gordon Brown both paid tribute to the men last week. |
| The Prince of Wales, who knew Col Thorneloe personally, said: "As you can imagine, the shock and horror that has affected the whole of the regiment family was quite dramatic. | The Prince of Wales, who knew Col Thorneloe personally, said: "As you can imagine, the shock and horror that has affected the whole of the regiment family was quite dramatic. |
| "I was horrified to say the least about both deaths, Trooper Hammond as well." | "I was horrified to say the least about both deaths, Trooper Hammond as well." |
| The prime minister, speaking on a visit to the Christie Hospital in Manchester, said: "They were very professional soldiers, they were serving in Afghanistan in the most difficult terrain. | The prime minister, speaking on a visit to the Christie Hospital in Manchester, said: "They were very professional soldiers, they were serving in Afghanistan in the most difficult terrain. |
| "Lt Col Thorneloe was someone I know, someone I worked with, someone I admired." | "Lt Col Thorneloe was someone I know, someone I worked with, someone I admired." |
| Major offensive | Major offensive |
| Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said Col Thorneloe was a "born soldier" who was "destined for greatness". | Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said Col Thorneloe was a "born soldier" who was "destined for greatness". |
| The deaths came as the US army announced it had launched a major operation in Afghanistan against the Taliban. | The deaths came as the US army announced it had launched a major operation in Afghanistan against the Taliban. |
| More than 700 British troops have launched a similar offensive, codenamed Operation Panther's Claw, against insurgent strongholds in the south of the country. | More than 700 British troops have launched a similar offensive, codenamed Operation Panther's Claw, against insurgent strongholds in the south of the country. |
| Col Thorneloe was the first British commanding officer to be killed in action since Lt Col Herbert "H" Jones died at Goose Green on the Falklands on 28 May 1982. | Col Thorneloe was the first British commanding officer to be killed in action since Lt Col Herbert "H" Jones died at Goose Green on the Falklands on 28 May 1982. |
| Since 2001, a total of 174 UK service personnel have died in Afghanistan. | Since 2001, a total of 174 UK service personnel have died in Afghanistan. |
| Two British soldiers were killed on Saturday: Pte Robert Laws, from 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment by a rocket-propelled grenade; and L/Cpl David Dennis from The Light Dragoons in an explosion. | |
| On Sunday, a soldier from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards died in a blast near Gereshk in central Helmand. He has not yet been named. |