Troops from the 1 Royal Tank Regiment returning to RAF Honington earlier this year from Afghanistan

SOLDIERS from 1 Royal Tank Regiment ar due to return home to RAF Honington later today following their deployment as part of 12th Mechanized Brigade (12 Mech Bde) in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

A total of 110 soldiers from G Squadron deployed to Afghanistan and this is the last tranche of 35 soldiers from the Squadron to return home.

G Squadron have been using the Mastiff, a heavily armoured 6 x 6-wheel drive patrol vehicle to bring firepower and armoured support wherever it was needed, including support to the 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment.

Known as the Mastiff Troop the soldiers were involved in fighting the insurgents, patrolling towns and villages and providing protected mobility to the troops on the ground.

Each mastiff was crewed by three 1 RTR soldiers: a driver, commander and gunner.

A further 96 soldiers from the Regiment will remain in Afghanistan until the start of November.

Based in Camp Bastion the soldiers are responsible for delivering the Reception, Staging and Onward Integration (RSOI) training that is mandatory for all soldiers entering Afghanistan.

It is the final stage of a six-month-long training package to ensure that the soldiers have the most up-to-date tactics, techniques, procedures and intelligence at their disposal.