TOWN HOLDS 100TH REPATRIATION EVENT
ABOVE: Nicola, wife of Cpl Loren Marlton-Thomas, places flowers on a hearse carrying his coffin in Wootton
The widow of a soldier killed in Afghanistan bravely clutched a teddy bear as she watched his coffin pass through a town hosting its 100th repatriation ceremony.
Nicola Marlton-Thomas, 30, held the bear emblazoned with the slogan "You're Terrific" as she took her place on the streets of Wootton Bassett, in Wiltshire.
The body of her husband Corporal Loren Marlton-Thomas, 28, of 33 Engineer Regiment, was flown back to RAF Lyneham before his cortege drove through the high street.
Returning with him was Rifleman Andrew Fentiman, 23, of 7th Battalion The Rifles.
Cpl Marlton-Thomas, of Braintree, Essex, and Rifleman Fentiman, from Cambridge, died in separate incidents in Helmand Province on Sunday.
After a private ceremony for their families, the hearses paused at the war memorial where they were strewn with flowers in silence.
Rifleman Fentiman's partner Jo also watched the parade, but both women chose not to speak.
Erin and Macaulay Smout, aged nine and 13, whose father was in the same regiment as Cpl Marlton-Thomas, also appeared in the crowd.
Cpl Marlton-Thomas's cousin, Lt Colonel James Rutter, 53, of the army air corps, said: "He was a page boy at my wedding 25 years ago. He was in a replica of my number one dress suit - he wanted to be a soldier for most of his life. He managed to fall off a pew halfway through the vows. That it is the 100th is quite terrible in its own way, but we are so grateful to the people of Wootton Bassett for being so faithful and coming out."
Lt Col Rutter said of Mrs Marlton-Thomas: "She is extremely brave. I admire her greatly."
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