Four servicemen's bodies are repatriated
The bodies of four servicemen killed in separate incidents in Afghanistan have been repatriated.
The bodies of Staff Sgt Brett Linley, 29, and Marine Jonathan Crookes, 26, from the West Midlands, were among those flown to RAF Lyneham earlier. Sgt David Monkhouse, 35, from Aspatria, Cumbria, and Suffolk-based Airman Kinikki Griffiths, 20, were also killed. Crowds came to watch their coffins pass through Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire. Private ceremonies were due to take place afterwards for the men's families. 'Exceptional soldier' Bomb disposal expert Staff Sgt Linley, of Birmingham, died while trying to clear improvised explosive devices in Nahr-e-Saraj on Saturday. Marine Crookes, from Halesowen, served with 40 Commando Royal Marines, and died while on foot patrol in Sangin, Helmand Province. His commanding officer called him a "giant of a man". Sgt Monkhouse, of the Royal Dragoon Guards, also died on Saturday. He was remembered as a devoted father and "exceptional" soldier. Airman Griffiths, who was based at RAF Honington, in Suffolk, also died in the district. Known to his comrades a "Griff", he was killed in a road accident near Camp Bastion.