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RAF bodies return home to Kinloss RAF bodies return home to Kinloss
(about 2 hours later)
The bodies of 14 servicemen killed when an RAF Nimrod crashed in Afghanistan have arrived back at the plane's home base at Kinloss in Moray. The bodies of 14 servicemen killed when an RAF Nimrod crashed in Afghanistan have arrived back at the aircraft's home base at Kinloss in Moray.
The bodies of British military personnel who have been killed abroad are normally repatriated at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.The bodies of British military personnel who have been killed abroad are normally repatriated at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
However, there were calls for the men to be taken back to Kinloss instead.However, there were calls for the men to be taken back to Kinloss instead.
Twelve Kinloss-based airmen, a Royal Marine and a soldier died 10 days ago, after a suspected technical fault.Twelve Kinloss-based airmen, a Royal Marine and a soldier died 10 days ago, after a suspected technical fault.
Air force chiefs and senior figures are attending a ceremony at Kinloss marking the return of the bodies. Sunset ceremony
The flight left Afghanistan after a brief sunset ceremony and touched down at Kinloss shortly before 1150 BST. A ceremony for the air crew was attended by the Duke of Edinburgh, who is Honorary Air Commodore of the station, and Des Browne, the Secretary of State for Defence.
href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/uk_enl_1157979584/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/uk_enl_1157979584/html/1.stm', '1157979675', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=281,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Most of the men were based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland href="javascript: void window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/uk_enl_1157979584/html/1.stm', '1157979675', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=281,left=312,top=100');" >Enlarge Image Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, who is chief of the defence staff, and chief of the air staff Sir Glenn Torpy also attended.
The flight bringing the bodies to Kinloss left Afghanistan after a brief sunset ceremony.
It called at Brize Norton before touching down at Kinloss shortly before 1150 BST.
Sorrow and ceremony
Three busloads of relatives of the victims arrived airside shortly before the transporter landed.
They watched the landing from a grandstand area, hidden from the view of cameras.
The first coffin to be taken from the transporter aircraft was that of 22-year-old Royal Marine Joseph David Windall, the youngest of the men killed.The first coffin to be taken from the transporter aircraft was that of 22-year-old Royal Marine Joseph David Windall, the youngest of the men killed.
The coffin of L/Cpl Oliver Simon Dicketts from the Parachute Regiment was next to be taken to a hearse waiting on the tarmac.The coffin of L/Cpl Oliver Simon Dicketts from the Parachute Regiment was next to be taken to a hearse waiting on the tarmac.
The 12 RAF personnel killed were: Flt Lt Steven Johnson, Flt Lt Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore, Flt Lt Gareth Rodney Nicholas, Flt Lt Allan James Squires, Flt Lt Steven Swarbrick, Flt Sgt Gary Wayne Andrews, Flt Sgt Stephen Beattie, Flt Sgt Gerard Martin Bell, Flt Sgt Adrian Davies, Sgt Benjamin James Knight, Sgt John Joseph Langton and Sgt Gary Paul Quilliam. It took almost an hour to remove the 12 RAF personnel from the aircraft.
After the ceremony at Kinloss the bodies will be taken to a chapel of rest which has been created at the base. They were: Flt Lt Steven Johnson, Flt Lt Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore, Flt Lt Gareth Rodney Nicholas, Flt Lt Allan James Squires, Flt Lt Steven Swarbrick, Flt Sgt Gary Wayne Andrews, Flt Sgt Stephen Beattie, Flt Sgt Gerard Martin Bell, Flt Sgt Adrian Davies, Sgt Benjamin James Knight, Sgt John Joseph Langton and Sgt Gary Paul Quilliam.
Flt Sgt Davies' 14-year-old son Glynn has paid tribute to his father, who died while the teenager was still in the process of grieving for his grandfather who died two months earlier. After the ceremony at Kinloss the bodies were taken to a chapel of rest which has been created at the base.
Family first Later, they are expected to be returned to RAF Brize Norton as part of the inquiry into the crash.
He said: "He was a great man who did everything with perfection and nothing at all messy. href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/uk_enl_1157979584/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/uk_enl_1157979584/html/1.stm', '1157979675', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=281,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Most of the men were based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland href="javascript: void window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/uk_enl_1157979584/html/1.stm', '1157979675', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=281,left=312,top=100');" >Enlarge Image
"He would always be willing to help people and always put his family first, but with work not far behind. The defence secretary said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those killed in this tragic crash.
"Now I'm the main man in the house and will do my dad proud."
Defence Minister Des Browne said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those killed in this tragic crash.
'Perfectly understandable'
"They were outstanding, brave and dedicated men. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten."They were outstanding, brave and dedicated men. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten.
"They were working towards making Afghanistan a safe and secure place as well as protecting our nation and its interests. We owe them an enormous debt of gratitude for that." "They were working towards making Afghanistan a safe and secure place, as well as protecting our nation and its interests.
Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Sir Jock Stirrup, said: "We have all suffered a great loss but the families and loved ones who died bear the greatest burden of grief and they are foremost in our thoughts." "We owe them an enormous debt of gratitude for that."
The SNP MP for Moray, Angus Robertson, said: "It is perfectly understandable that the service families in Moray wanted to see the remains of their loved ones returned to RAF Kinloss." Air Chief Marshal Stirrup added: "Our servicemen and women achieve remarkable things under the most arduous and dangerous conditions - sometimes, alas, at personal sacrifice.
"Their bravery is well known and rightly admired.
"But we must never forget what their loved ones have to endure: the worry and uncertainty they must live with while continuing to run homes and families and - as in this case - the terrible loss.
"Theirs is a courage of the most profound kind."