Warm welcome for Afghan heroes

The soldiers from the Counter Improvised Explosive Device Task Force

(CIED) has suffered heavy casualties, with the loss of seven men in Afghanistan, while receiving two George Crosses in recent honours – one to Staff Sergeant Kim Hughes and one posthumously to Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, known as Oz.

As a mark of their bravery, the unit's troops were presented with Herrick campaign medals at Didcot's Civic Hall.

The crowd applauded when Sapper Ryan Seary, who suffered serious injuries during the campaign and lost an arm, rose from his wheelchair –evidently with some difficulty – to receive his medal.

Staff Sergeant Karl Ley, a 29-year-old father-of-three from Sheffield, who defused 139 improvised explosive devices during the campaign, the most of any soldier serving with the task force, said he was just doing his job and modestly played down claims they were "heroes".