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Commandos return to Arbroath base Commandos return to Arbroath base
(about 7 hours later)
The last members of Arbroath-based 45 Commando are returning home to be reunited with their families after a six-month tour of duty.The last members of Arbroath-based 45 Commando are returning home to be reunited with their families after a six-month tour of duty.
In October, 500 marines from the unit were sent to Afghanistan to help fight the Taleban.In October, 500 marines from the unit were sent to Afghanistan to help fight the Taleban.
During their tour of duty the unit was involved in fierce fighting in Helmand Province.During their tour of duty the unit was involved in fierce fighting in Helmand Province.
Four commandos were killed, including Gary Wright, 22, from Glasgow, and Matthew Ford, 30, who lived in Dundee.Four commandos were killed, including Gary Wright, 22, from Glasgow, and Matthew Ford, 30, who lived in Dundee.
Four of L/Cpl Ford's colleagues were hailed for their bravery in February.Four of L/Cpl Ford's colleagues were hailed for their bravery in February.
I think we need to be wary of giving them (Taleban) too much credibility because they are an insurgent force and we are professional soldiers Lt Col Duncan Dewar
They strapped themselves to the outside of two helicopters in a rescue attempt after he had gone missing in an attack on an insurgent base.They strapped themselves to the outside of two helicopters in a rescue attempt after he had gone missing in an attack on an insurgent base.
L/Cpl Ford had died, but the men retrieved his body.L/Cpl Ford had died, but the men retrieved his body.
Many of the marines have already returned to their Arbroath base in recent days, with the remainder arriving on Wednesday. Lt Col Duncan Dewar, commanding officer of the Afghanistan operation, said he was proud of his men: "These men are soldiers of the very highest calibre and I am immensely proud of their achievements.
"They were given a tough job to do and they did it in the finest traditions of the Royal Marines."
He said he was in no doubt that the Taleban could be defeated.
He told BBC Scotland: "They are all battle-hardened and all of that makes them quite a determined enemy.
"But I think we need to be wary of giving them too much credibility because they are an insurgent force and we are professional soldiers who spend our lives training and deploying on operations.
'Reasonable situation'
"Therefore we overmatch them markedly in every way."
Many of the marines have already returned to their Arbroath base in recent days, with the remainder arriving on Wednesday evening.
One of the marines who has just returned, Pte Scott Atkinson from Edinburgh, said: "The training prepared us. We went to Norway so the cold was not a problem or the heat.
"The general security situation is reasonable. There was nothing we were not ready for and nothing we couldn't handle."