IN BLUSTERY late summer weather the bodies of the 14 servicemen killed in the Nimrod crash in Afghanistan returned to Britain yesterday.
They were met by their grieving families, and a grateful nation, represented by the Duke of Edinburgh.
The grey C17 Globemaster transporter had left Afghanistan after brief sunset ceremony. After a brief stopover at RAF Brize Norton it landed at the Nimrod’s base at RAF Kinloss, in Moray, Scotland at 11.50am after a flight of 3,657 miles (5,885km).
The airfield fell silent as bearers slowmarched to the rear of the aircraft. They brought the coffins out from the cargo hold one by one, all of them draped in the Union Flag. Each coffin was saluted and carried to a waiting hearse.
Such was the loss of life that the formal repatriation ceremony took more than an hour, The death toll represents the biggest single loss of British servicemen since the War on Terror began. It was accompanied by musical laments from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force, including Nimrod, from Elgar’s Enigma Variations.
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The first coffin carried back on to British soil was that of Royal Marine Joseph Windall, 22, the youngest of the crew. This was followed by the coffin of Corporal Oliver Dicketts, 27, from the Parachute Regiment.
Finally came the 12 servicemen from 120 Squadron, based at RAF Kinloss, whose coffins were carried by bearers from the Queen’s Colour Squadron.The cause of the crash, which happened on September 2, a few miles east of Kandahar, is still being investigated. It is thought to have been the result of a technical fault.
The catastrophe devastated the close-knit community of Kinloss, which was home to 12 of the 14 men who died. About 200 of the dead men’s family and friends had travelled by bus to the base for the ceremony. The service was also attended by about 150 staff.
On the wishes of the bereaved families, the bodies were repatriated to Scotland rather than to the usual venue of RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire. However, because of a legal requirement over the return of military personnel killed abroad, the C17 touched down briefly at the English base before continuing north.
Public buildings and schools across Moray held a one-minute silence to mark the repatriation of the men, whose deaths leave 17 children without fathers.
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The ceremony was attend by the Duke, who is Honorary Air Commodore at RAF Kinloss, Des Browne, the Secretary of State for Defence, and Sir Glenn Torpy, RAF Air Chief Marshal.
Mr Browne called the lost Nimrod crew “outstanding, brave and dedicated men” whose sacrifice would not be forgotten. “We owe them an enormous debt of gratitude,” he added. “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.”
Sir Glenn added that the repatriation ceremony was a very important part of the grieving process.
“I think it is for the three services to pay their respects to the comrades they have lost and indeed the nation as a whole,” he continued. “The loss of this aircraft demonstrates the risk that our servicemen and servicewoman undertake on a daily basis and the enormous sacrifice they make in bringing stability to warravaged parts of the world.”
The 14 coffins were taken to a chapel of rest, set up at the base, where the bereaved families were reunited with their loved ones in private.
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THE DEAD
The 12 RAF crew were:
Flight Lieutenant Steven Johnson, 38
Flight Lieutenant Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore, 28
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Flight Lieutenant Gareth Rodney Nicholas, 40
Flight Lieutenant Allan James Squires, 39
Flight Lieutenant Steven Swarbrick, 28
Flight Sergeant Gary Wayne Andrews, 48
Flight Sergeant Stephen Beattie, 42
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Flight Sergeant Gerard Martin Bell 48
Flight Sergeant Adrian Davies, 49
Sergeant Benjamin James Knight, 25
Sergeant John Joseph Langton, 29
Sergeant Gary Paul Quilliam, 42
The soldier who died was Lance Corporal Oliver Simon Dicketts, 27, from the Parachute Regiment and the Royal Marine was Joseph David Windall, 22