Brave soldiers from Warminster lined up proudly side-by-side for a medals ceremony to mark their return from Iraq.

The 114 men of the Alma Company, 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment received Operation Telic medals at Battlesbury Barracks on Thursday, following their recent three-month tour of duty in Baghdad.

The troup formed the very last combat sub unit to leave Iraq at the end of the UK military mission in July.

Included among them was a number of soldiers who were part of the initial invasion force in 2003 and deployed again in 2005.

Major Matt Palmer, who also took part in the invasion of Iraq in 2003, said, “We had a very interesting three months in Baghdad enabling political negotiations to take place, introducing Mastiff Armoured Vehicles to the city and co-ordinating the final convoys out.

“We had not been to Baghdad before and there was certainly a lot of difference between that city and Basra, and a lot of difference between Operation Telic One and Operation Telic 14 – this time there seemed to be a real sense of hope and determination among the Iraqi people and the military to make things work.

“The other difference was that this year we slept in proper accommodation with air-conditioning.

“Looking back over the whole Iraq campaign, Alma Company has played a very significant part in the process.

“It was part of the initial invasion force, deployed again in 2005 and was the last combat unit to leave theatre.

“We were officially the first in and the last out.”

Medals were presented to the soldiers by Lieutenant General Chris Brown, the senior British military representative in Iraq.

The regiment deployed to Baghdad in early May, with the majority working in central Baghdad as the Protection Force for the senior British military personnel in the city.

This involved protection of both British bases and convoys travelling along the infamous Route Irish – then known as the most lethal road in the world, as well as providing a small team for close protection of VIPs.

The second group worked as a Force Protection Platoon for the isolated NATO training mission at the Iraqi Military Academy in East Baghdad.

The soldiers of Alma Company had three weeks post operational tour leave and are now adjusting back to life as part of the battalion in Warminster.