FAMILIES of Farnham TA troops serving in Afghanistan welcomed them home after their three-month peacekeeping and anti-terrorism mission.
Soldiers from Princess of Wales Royal Regiment (A Company) based in Guildford Road were assigned to Kabul assisting with rebuilding the war-scarred country.
Though they were ready for any eventuality, it proved not without its dangers - several days after their arrival a Taliban suicide bomber killed five German troops.
Speaking to the Herald, mission commander Captain Richard Owen deemed their efforts a success.
He said: "We were part of multinational forces on security duty in Kabul helping the new government to administer their country. We were also deployed against terrorism from the Taliban through foot and vehicle patrols. There was also other work such as rebuilding schools and helping with their police force.
"The thing you realise most out there is the heat- and the air is really thin as you are at 6,000 feet in Kabul. Conditions there are hard - their average life expectancy is 46."
Henry Bulbeck, 20, from Long Sutton near Bentley, though relieved to be home, believed it had been an unforgettable three months. His family including girlfriend Sharon Goodall, also of Farnham TA were on hand to greet him.
He said: "It was a great experience, Kabul is unlike anywhere else in the world. It has been ravaged by war for the last 30 years and the real work now is to piece the country back together bit by bit."
Communication with everyone back home was apparently not too difficult as they had access to e-mail at their base which had really helped.