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Heroes return - Dukes are home for Poppy Day
TROOPS from the Yorkshire Regiment involved in breaking a Taliban stronghold returned from Afghanistan to a heroes' welcome last night.
The 125 soldiers were greeted by the open arms of relieved family and friends at Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster, Wiltshire.
Their homecoming, following a three-month deployment, is in time for Remembrance Sunday when Burma Company, 3rd Battalion (Duke of Wellington's) Yorkshire Regiment, will take part in a church service and march through Warminster.
Uppermost in their thoughts will be 18-year-old Private Jonathon Young who was killed by a Taliban explosion while clearing an alleyway for his comrades near Sangin as Afghans voted in elections on August 20.
Lieutenant Colonel Tom Vallings is the Commanding Officer of the Dukes, which historically recruited in the West Riding and has its regimental museum in Halifax.
He said: "We had soldiers embedded with all the battlegroups across the whole of Helmand.
"Straight away they were doing their duty, taking the fight to the Taliban and were involved in serious contacts.
"Their contribution to those battlegroups has been immense.
"I'm amazed how quickly a battalion can apply themselves in a can-do approach and fit into another unit, get straight out on the ground and deliver the effect that's required. It is quite humbling."
He remembered Pte Young and said: "There is no greater love hath a man than to lay down his life for his friends.
"Private Young was a terrific guy to have done that for his colleagues in 3 Yorks. This family, the Battalion, has got stronger through Private Young.We took strength from actions like his. You have ordinary people doing extraordinary things."
The regiment was initially trained for a stint in Iraq but instead was deployed to replace battle casualties in July as part of the five-week campaign Operation Panther's Claw.
Another 118 members of the Battalion returned from Baghdad in early August. They were the last British combat troops to leave Iraq, many of them having served there three or more times.
The Dukes has 31 soldiers deploying to Helmand Province at the beginning of November as part of Operation Herrick. It follows the recent increase of 500 troops to counter the Taliban.
The 2nd Battalion Yorks is also serving in Afghanistan, mentoring the Afghan National Army.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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