GRD3
Children waved Union flags and cheered as more than 200 soldiers from 101 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), based at Carver Barracks in Wimbish, took part in a special homecoming parade, at which they were granted Freedom of the District by Uttlesford District Council.
But they didn't all make it back OK
They have one of the most demanding jobs in Helmand: to walk ahead to find and isolate improvised explosive devices (IEDs), before calling in the bomb disposal experts to defuse or destroy the devices.
And now the dangerous work of the teams who search for the Taliban's hidden bombs in Afghanistan has been formally recognised with a new search badge, given to some 250 of the men and women recently returned from their tour of Helmand.
Amongst those receiving the badge was Capt Luke Sinnott, 31, one of the Royal Engineer search advisors who lost both of his legs after a bomb exploded beneath him.
"On the day I was injured, we were working in an area known for shootings," he said.
"We also knew it was saturated with IEDs and it was very difficult for the locals and international forces to move around.
"On the day I was blown up, I'd elected to go forward to deal with the device, to keep the guys safe. It was on my third walk down the route that a device exploded."
'Going to lose'
The explosion was sudden and devastating.
"Everything seems great and fine and then everything goes black.
"You don't feel pain straight away - it's more the shock, as though someone has punched you on the face."
Capt Luke Sinnott lost both legs after a bomb exploded beneath him
He added: "Because of the size of some of the charges, when there's an explosion it always feels as if it's on top of you, even if it's 20 yards away, but this time it was me."
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