The bodies of two Royal Marines and a Royal Artillery soldier, killed in Afghanistan have been flown back to the UK.

Marine Travis Mackin was killed in action in the Kajaki area of Afghanistan's Helmand province on the morning of 11 January 2009. Marine Mackin of Communications Squadron, United Kingdom Landing Force Command Support Group (UKLF CSG), was serving as a member of the Security Sector Reform Group in Afghanistan, operating as part of 45 Commando Royal Marines. Marine Mackin, who was brought up in Plymouth, was killed during a joint patrol with Victor Company, 45 Commando Group Royal Marines, and the Afghan National Security Forces. 

Captain Tom Herbert John Sawyer Royal Artillery and Corporal Danny Winter Royal Marines were killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday 14 January 2009. Both were killed in an explosion while taking part in a joint operation with a Danish Battle Group and the Afghan National Army north east of Gereshk in central Helmand. They were members of a fire support team that was engaged in an operation to clear compounds in a known Taliban stronghold. Two other members of the patrol were injured in the explosion.

Captain Tom Sawyer who came from Hertfordshire, was serving with 7 (Sphinx) Commando Battery, 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery. He was in Helmand province deployed on operations as a Fire Support Team Commander attached to Zulu Company, 45 Commando Royal Marines.

Corporal Danny Winter was also serving in Helmand province with the Mortar Troop of Zulu Company, 45 Commando Royal Marines. A specialist Mortar Fire Controller, his role within the company as the commander's mortar expert required him to provide intimate mortar support to the front line of the fighting troops. It was whilst operating in this role, ensuring the ranks of Zulu Company were supported, that he was killed. Corporal Winter, known as Dan, lived in Stockport.

The bodies of all three were carried from an RAF C-17 aircraft at RAF Lyneham, following a flypast in before friends and family who gathered to return their loved ones to UK soil.

The hearses were then driven through the village of Wootton Bassett where once again, hundreds of people turned out to pay their respects.