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Bodies of soldiers brought home Hundreds honour dead UK soldiers
(about 1 hour later)
Hundreds of people are lining the streets of a Wiltshire market town to pay their respects to two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Hundreds of people have held a one-minute silence in a Wiltshire market town to pay their respects to two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
The bodies of Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, 39, from Oxfordshire, and Trooper Joshua Hammond, 18, from Devon, were flown to nearby RAF Lyneham earlier.The bodies of Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, 39, from Oxfordshire, and Trooper Joshua Hammond, 18, from Devon, were flown to nearby RAF Lyneham earlier.
A memorial is being held before the coffins pass through Wootton Bassett. A private memorial was held before the coffins passed through Wootton Bassett.
Meanwhile, two soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Saturday are named as Pte Robert Laws and L/Cpl David Dennis. Meanwhile, two soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Saturday were named as Pte Robert Laws and L/Cpl David Dennis.
Pte Laws, from 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, died from a rocket-propelled grenade and L/Cpl Dennis, from The Light Dragoons, was killed in an explosion. Shortly after 1100 BST on Monday, the C-17 Globemaster transporting the the bodies of Col Thorneloe and Trooper Hammond landed at the RAF base.
A third soldier, known to be from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, died on Sunday in a blast near Gereshk in central Helmand. He has not yet been named. The families of the two men said their own private goodbyes during a memorial at a chapel on the site, before the cortege proceeded to Wootton Bassett.
Private memorial Col Thorneloe and Trooper Hammond died during a major UK offensive
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. Later, hundreds of British Legion veterans, shopkeepers and local residents stood in silence as the cars carrying the Union flag-draped coffins slowly drove along the high street.
The pair died after a bomb blew up their armoured vehicle on Wednesday. BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, a personal friend of Col Thorneloe, was in Wootton Bassett to pay tribute to "the best of the best".
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 when a bomb blew up their armoured vehicle on Wednesday.
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.
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"
Hundreds of British Legion veterans, shopkeepers and local residents are lining the streets 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 in Wootton Bassett to pay tribute.
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.
"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.
"Lt Col Thorneloe was someone I know, someone I worked with, someone I admired."
Major offensiveMajor offensive
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said Col Thorneloe was a "born soldier" who was "destined for greatness". The men died as UK and US troops launched a major offensive against Taliban militants in southern Afghanistan.
The deaths came as the US army announced it had launched a major operation in Afghanistan against the Taliban. Col Thorneloe was the most senior British army officer to be killed in action since Lt Col Herbert "H" Jones died at Goose Green on the Falklands on 28 May 1982.
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.
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.
Tributes have also been paid to two other soldiers who died on Saturday in separate Taliban attacks.
Pte Laws, from 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, died from a rocket-propelled grenade and L/Cpl Dennis, from The Light Dragoons, was killed in an explosion.
A third soldier, known to be from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, died on Sunday in a blast near Gereshk in Afghanistan's Helmand province. He has not yet been named.