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Three soldiers repatriated to UK | Three soldiers repatriated to UK |
(about 4 hours later) | |
The bodies of three soldiers killed in Helmand province in Afghanistan have been returned to the UK. | The bodies of three soldiers killed in Helmand province in Afghanistan have been returned to the UK. |
Rifleman Daniel Holkham, 19, L/Cpl of Horse Jonathan Woodgate, 26, and Serjeant Steven Campbell, 30, died in separate incidents this month. | Rifleman Daniel Holkham, 19, L/Cpl of Horse Jonathan Woodgate, 26, and Serjeant Steven Campbell, 30, died in separate incidents this month. |
The soldiers were repatriated to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire before their coffins passed through Wootton Bassett. | |
Among those paying their respects were Rifleman Holkham's two serving brothers who had returned from Afghanistan. | |
Matthew, 20, and Andrew, 18, were serving with the same regiment, 3 Rifles, as their brother. | |
They were allowed leave to return to the UK following his death. | |
The brothers stood on the streets of Wootton Bassett alongside their parents and hundreds of residents, shopkeepers and ex-servicemen as the soldiers' Union flag-draped coffins were driven through the town. | |
The cortege paused while onlookers laid flowers on the hearses and a longer-than-usual silence was held, broken only by L/Cpl Woodgate's father who thanked the crowd for its support. | |
Applause broke out after he said: "I'm Jonathan Woodgate's father. I know he would want to thank you all very much for coming, he'd really appreciate it." | |
The three soldiers were killed in separate incidents | The three soldiers were killed in separate incidents |
Families of the three men earlier held a private service at RAF Lyneham's chapel. | Families of the three men earlier held a private service at RAF Lyneham's chapel. |
Rifleman Holkham, from the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, served with 3 Rifles and was killed on Saturday when a suicide bomber detonated a device near the Sangin Bazaar. | Rifleman Holkham, from the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, served with 3 Rifles and was killed on Saturday when a suicide bomber detonated a device near the Sangin Bazaar. |
L/CoH Woodgate, from Suffolk, served with the Household Cavalry Regiment and died on Friday when a grenade was thrown while he was on foot patrol. | L/CoH Woodgate, from Suffolk, served with the Household Cavalry Regiment and died on Friday when a grenade was thrown while he was on foot patrol. |
Lt Col Harry Fullerton, Commanding Officer Household Cavalry Regiment, described L/CoH Woodgate as "one of our finest soldiers". | Lt Col Harry Fullerton, Commanding Officer Household Cavalry Regiment, described L/CoH Woodgate as "one of our finest soldiers". |
"His courage was undefeatable and he was resilient to the end," he said. | "His courage was undefeatable and he was resilient to the end," he said. |
Sjt Campbell, from Pelton, County Durham, served with 3 Rifles. | Sjt Campbell, from Pelton, County Durham, served with 3 Rifles. |
He was killed on 22 March when a bomb exploded while he was on patrol. | He was killed on 22 March when a bomb exploded while he was on patrol. |
His commanding officer, Lt Col Nick Kitson, said Sjt Campbell was "one of the Army's rarest treasures". | His commanding officer, Lt Col Nick Kitson, said Sjt Campbell was "one of the Army's rarest treasures". |
The funeral of 31-year-old Capt Martin Driver, from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, also took place on Tuesday. The service was held at St John the Baptist Church in Cudworth, Barnsley. | The funeral of 31-year-old Capt Martin Driver, from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, also took place on Tuesday. The service was held at St John the Baptist Church in Cudworth, Barnsley. |
Capt Driver was fatally injured when a roadside bomb exploded on 21 February. | Capt Driver was fatally injured when a roadside bomb exploded on 21 February. |
He was flown back for treatment at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak, in Birmingham, but died later. | He was flown back for treatment at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak, in Birmingham, but died later. |