Battalion marches through city

More than 450 soldiers returning from five months duty in Afghanistan are taking part in a special parade through Salisbury city centre.

The march is being followed by a cathedral service commemorating three soldiers from 4th Battalion The Rifles (4 Rifles) who died during the tour.

The private service will also mark the deaths of soldiers from 4 Rifles who were killed in Iraq.

There are currently 137 soldiers from the battalion remaining in Afghanistan.

The three men who lost their lives in Afghanistan during the last tour of duty were Rifleman Samuel Bassett, 20, Rifleman Daniel Hume, 22, and L/Cpl Taran Cheeseman, 21, who died of natural causes in Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham following a medical flight from Afghanistan.

L/Cpl Cheesman's father, Steven Cheeseman, said: "It's just going to be an emotional day all round.

"It will probably give us a little bit of closure on what's happened.

"It was six months today that we lost Taran. Obviously it's been an emotional rollercoaster ever since, but a bit of closure today and see some of his old friends as well.

"They're fantastic lads. They're keeping us safe, basically."

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