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| Thousands honour repatriated men | Thousands honour repatriated men |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of people lined the streets of Wootton Bassett as the bodies of eight British soldiers killed in Afghanistan were driven through. | Thousands of people lined the streets of Wootton Bassett as the bodies of eight British soldiers killed in Afghanistan were driven through. |
| The bodies of the soldiers, who were killed in a single 24-hour period, passed through the town in Wiltshire, which is near RAF Lyneham. | The bodies of the soldiers, who were killed in a single 24-hour period, passed through the town in Wiltshire, which is near RAF Lyneham. |
| On Monday troops in Helmand province held their own memorial to the men. | On Monday troops in Helmand province held their own memorial to the men. |
| The head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt said the men had not died in vain. | The head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt said the men had not died in vain. |
| People applauded and some threw flowers on to the hearses as they drove past. | People applauded and some threw flowers on to the hearses as they drove past. |
| The families of the soldiers were at the RAF base to see the coffins after they landed, draped in Union flags, carried from a C17 aircraft. | The families of the soldiers were at the RAF base to see the coffins after they landed, draped in Union flags, carried from a C17 aircraft. |
| A private ceremony at the chapel of rest was held at the base, before the hearses left to drive through the town. | A private ceremony at the chapel of rest was held at the base, before the hearses left to drive through the town. |
| Sir Richard said the men's families should take comfort from the fact they had lost their lives carrying out an essential mission. | Sir Richard said the men's families should take comfort from the fact they had lost their lives carrying out an essential mission. |
| People threw flowers on to the hearses as they drove past | People threw flowers on to the hearses as they drove past |
| "It's really important, not just for this region or Afghanistan, but it's really important for the overall security of the West and the United Kingdom. And we must get this right, we will get it right." | "It's really important, not just for this region or Afghanistan, but it's really important for the overall security of the West and the United Kingdom. And we must get this right, we will get it right." |
| The Earl of Wessex also attended the repatriation ceremony. | The Earl of Wessex also attended the repatriation ceremony. |
| A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said Prince Edward, who is the Royal Colonel of the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, wanted to pay his respects when the bodies arrived back at RAF Lyneham. | A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said Prince Edward, who is the Royal Colonel of the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, wanted to pay his respects when the bodies arrived back at RAF Lyneham. |
| Meanwhile, ministers once again insisted the armed forces were properly equipped, despite opposition claims. | Meanwhile, ministers once again insisted the armed forces were properly equipped, despite opposition claims. |
| Rescuing comrades | Rescuing comrades |
| Five of those who died in Helmand on Friday were members of the County Down-based 2nd Battalion The Rifles. | Five of those who died in Helmand on Friday were members of the County Down-based 2nd Battalion The Rifles. |
| Corporal Jonathan Horne and Riflemen William Aldridge, James Backhouse and Joseph Murphy were rescuing comrades from an explosion when they were killed in a second blast. | Corporal Jonathan Horne and Riflemen William Aldridge, James Backhouse and Joseph Murphy were rescuing comrades from an explosion when they were killed in a second blast. |
| At the time, Rifleman Murphy was carrying Rifleman Daniel Simpson who had been injured by the first bomb. | At the time, Rifleman Murphy was carrying Rifleman Daniel Simpson who had been injured by the first bomb. |
| British fatalities in Afghanistan Afghanistan: Key facts and figures | British fatalities in Afghanistan Afghanistan: Key facts and figures |
| The body of Cpl Lee Scott, of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, who died in a separate explosion on the same day, was also returned to the UK on Tuesday. | |
| Making up the eight are two men killed on Thursday: Private John Brackpool, of Prince of Wales' Company, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, and Rifleman Daniel Hume, of 4th Battalion The Rifles. | Making up the eight are two men killed on Thursday: Private John Brackpool, of Prince of Wales' Company, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, and Rifleman Daniel Hume, of 4th Battalion The Rifles. |
| Sophie Blunden, 20, a psychology student from Croydon, was the girlfriend of Rifleman Simpson. | Sophie Blunden, 20, a psychology student from Croydon, was the girlfriend of Rifleman Simpson. |
| She said: "The last message I received from him was him telling me I wasn't only his girlfriend I was his best friend, his rock, his soul mate and the love of his life." | She said: "The last message I received from him was him telling me I wasn't only his girlfriend I was his best friend, his rock, his soul mate and the love of his life." |
| He said that when he looked at her all he saw was "happiness and a bright future with me". | He said that when he looked at her all he saw was "happiness and a bright future with me". |
| "That was all true for me too. He was my everything, my soulmate and soulmates should never part. | "That was all true for me too. He was my everything, my soulmate and soulmates should never part. |
| "He called me his little angel. And now he has to be my angel. And he made my world shine." | "He called me his little angel. And now he has to be my angel. And he made my world shine." |
| Andy Horne said his brother Cpl Horne had been proud to lead his fellow soldiers. | |
| "He said he was their dad, and they were his children, because they were so young. | |
| Andy Horne: "There's definite pride, everyone is proud of him" | |
| "They were his pride, and he had to look after them, just like his family, how he looked after us back at home. They were his family while he was out there." | |
| The people of Wootton Bassett have turned out repeatedly to pay tribute to the UK's fallen. | The people of Wootton Bassett have turned out repeatedly to pay tribute to the UK's fallen. |
| The mayor, Steve Bucknall, told the BBC they were proud to express the feelings of the entire nation. | The mayor, Steve Bucknall, told the BBC they were proud to express the feelings of the entire nation. |
| "I get e-mails, letters, from all over the country from people thanking us," he said. | "I get e-mails, letters, from all over the country from people thanking us," he said. |
| "But also saying that if they could be there they would be there, and therefore, please, can we represent them whilst we're standing there," he added. | "But also saying that if they could be there they would be there, and therefore, please, can we represent them whilst we're standing there," he added. |
| 'Extreme emergency' | 'Extreme emergency' |
| The government faced stinging criticism on Monday over claims that troops in Afghanistan were being hampered by a severe equipment shortage. | The government faced stinging criticism on Monday over claims that troops in Afghanistan were being hampered by a severe equipment shortage. |
| The Conservatives say the lack of helicopters is a "scandal" and presents an "extreme emergency" to those serving there. | The Conservatives say the lack of helicopters is a "scandal" and presents an "extreme emergency" to those serving there. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYWe need to commit an overwhelmingly powerful force to bring this war to an endRob Carpenter, UK Send us your comments | |
| Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg agreed, claiming British strategy in Afghanistan was "over-ambitious in aim and under-resourced in practice". | Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg agreed, claiming British strategy in Afghanistan was "over-ambitious in aim and under-resourced in practice". |
| But Gordon Brown insisted Britain did have the resources "to do the job" and helicopter numbers had increased 60% since 2006. | But Gordon Brown insisted Britain did have the resources "to do the job" and helicopter numbers had increased 60% since 2006. |
| An offensive designed to increase security ahead of Afghan elections next month has seen a big increase in UK casualties, with 15 servicemen killed in the first 10 days of the month. | An offensive designed to increase security ahead of Afghan elections next month has seen a big increase in UK casualties, with 15 servicemen killed in the first 10 days of the month. |
| It means 184 service personnel have now died in Afghanistan since 2001, more than the 179 who were killed during the war in Iraq. | It means 184 service personnel have now died in Afghanistan since 2001, more than the 179 who were killed during the war in Iraq. |