Five brave soldiers are returned home (From Swindon Advertiser)

Five brave soldiers are returned home

9:00am Friday 12th March 2010 in

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The girlfriend of a soldier killed in Afghanistan told of her “pride and honour”, as she stood on the streets of Wootton Bassett to watch the bodies of five servicemen return home.

Stephanie Orr, 23, bravely took her place among the crowds for the repatriation of Riflemen Jonathon Allott, 19, from Bournemouth, Dorset.

Ms Orr, from Newcastle, proudly wore her green 3 Rifles T-shirt in tribute to Rifleman Allott who had “the face of an angel and a heart of gold,” she said.

She fought back tears surrounded by hundreds of well-wishers lining the streets of the market town to greet the men’s cortege.

Ms Orr, his partner of seven months, said: “He didn’t do it by halves and was out in the front before the other lads. I have two children but I’ve not been able to tell them yet.”

Rifleman Allott died following a blast from an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) near Sangin, in Helmand province.

Also flown home to nearby RAF Lyneham were Corporal Richard Green and Liam Maughan, all of 3 Rifles, and Corporal Stephen Thompson, of 1 Rifles, and Lance Corporal Thomas Keogh, of 4 Rifles.

All died in the space of six days this month.

A private service was held at the base’s chapel before the Union flag-draped coffins drove past the war memorial. Relatives placed flowers on top of the black cars, as has become tradition.

Also in the crowd was Stuart Keogh, the uncle of L/Cpl Keogh, 24, from Paddington, in London.

He was killed by a gunshot wound during a small arms engagement in Sangin.

Cpl Green, 23, born in Reading, died as a result of small arms fire near Sangin in Helmand province.

Rifleman Maughan, 18, born in Doncaster, died from wounds after coming under fire near Sangin, in Helmand province.

He was shot and killed while on watch, providing protection to his platoon as they engaged with the local population.

He leaves behind his parents, girlfriend, and a newborn son he never saw.

Cpl Thompson, 31, from Bovey Tracey, in Devon, was killed by an IED in an area 3km south of Sangin district centre, in Helmand province.

He leaves behind his mother and father, Carol and Peter, brother, Philip, sisters, Claire and Helen, and his young son, Ewan.