Dead Royal Marines brought home

A short military service was held after the bodies were received

The bodies of two Royal Marines killed while on patrol in Afghanistan five days ago have been flown home.

The repatriation ceremony was held at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire for Lt John Thornton, 22, and Marine Dave Marsh, 23, from Somerset-based 40 Commando.

The pair were killed when their vehicle was caught in an explosion in Helmand Province, near Kajaki.

They had been on a six-month tour, with two weeks to go before they were due to return home.

Minute's silence

Both were given medical treatment at Camp Bastion but died as a result of their wounds.

The flight was met by close family and friends of the two men. A short military ceremony was then held in the men's honour.

A procession made its way through the nearby town of Wootton Bassett on Friday lunchtime, with a minute's silence observed as the hearses passed by.

The pair died when their vehicle was caught in an explosion

A service of thanksgiving and remembrance for the pair was held on Thursday night at All Saints Church in the village of Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton, a few miles from the Marines' former base at Norton Camp.

Marine Marsh, known as Dave, was from Sheffield, but had recently moved to Taunton with his wife, Claire, and young daughter, Molly.

Lt Thornton, known as "JT" from Ferndown, Dorset, had previously served in Iraq, having joined up in August 2004.

Earlier this week Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Defence Secretary Des Browne paid their respects to the men.

Their deaths bring the number of UK service personnel killed in Afghanistan to 91, all but five of them in the past two years.