Video & Gallery: Soldiers reunited with families after demanding six-month tour of Afghanistan
By Alistair Nelson SOLDIERS from 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD), based at the Carver Barracks in Wimbish, have been reunited with their families after a demanding six-month tour of Afghanistan. The Royal Engineers, who were hailed as heroes when they returne
By Alistair Nelson
SOLDIERS from 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD), based at the Carver Barracks in Wimbish, have been reunited with their families after a demanding six-month tour of Afghanistan.
The Royal Engineers, who were hailed as heroes when they returned last week, were honoured with their campaign medals on Wednesday.
The specialist bomb disposal soldiers, who are part of 49 Field Squadron, marched onto the parade square at Carver Barracks in front of friends and family. The medals were presented by Colonel Simon Winkworth.
More than 100 soldiers from 21 Field Squadron, also part of 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD), have replaced 49 Field Squadron (EOD) in Afghanistan.
It is the Wimbish-based soldiers who are responsible for finding and destroying the roadside bombs known as improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Helmand Province.
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In their six month deployment, 49 Field Squadron dealt with thousands of incidents, ranging from disposal of Taliban weapon caches to IEDs.
They have also been involved in training the local population in explosive hazard awareness. Their actions have saved lives of many soldiers and civilian population over the past six months.
Sadly, the squadron lost two soldiers during its deployment. Corporal Loren Marlton-Thomas was killed whilst conducting a route search to clear devices in the vicinity of Patrol Base Sandford, in the Gereshk area of Helmand Province.
And Sapper David Watson died of wounds sustained in an explosion caused by an IED in the vicinity of Patrol Base Blenheim in the Sangin region of Helmand Province.
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