Families cheer soldiers on their return (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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Families cheer soldiers on their return
12:40pm Friday 1st March 2013 in News
HOME: Troops from the 1st Battalion Scots Guards return after a six-month tour of Afghanistan. Maj Kieran Holling from Bradford is pictured with daughters Isobel, 14, left and Louisa, 11
THE first soldiers from 4 Mechanized Brigade were welcomed back to their base at Catterick Garrison by cheering family and friends on Wednesday, after a sixmonth tour of duty in Afghanistan.
The soldiers are part of 1st Battalion Scots Guards, based at Bourlon Lines in Munster Barracks. The 72 guardsmen and women from Headquarters Company were mentoring the Afghan National Security Forces from Forward Operating Base Ouellette in Helmand Province.
Lance Corporal David Hughes, 28, from Peterlee, was met by girlfriend Leah Stewart, 20, from Catterick, his parents and their partners.
Lance Sargeant Jamie Robertson from Motherwell with his wife Bernedette and son Caiden
He said: “I’m very happy to be back – I had my last leave quite late so it has not been long since I was home but it is nice to know I can get back to normal for a while. This was my second tour of Afghanistan and I have done one in Iraq.”
Guardsman Cobus van Achterbergh is greeted by his wife Janine
Miss Stewart added: “I’m very happy to have him home. It felt like a long wait even though he was only recently on leave.”
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Howieson, commanding officer of 1st Battalion, said: “We have been dealing with security in Helmand, training and developing the Afghan National Security Forces. Although there have been reports recently about attacks on British troops, my experience was that they were resolutely professional.”
