The parents of a soldier who died in Afghanistan and was repatriated through RAF Lyneham have thanked the base and the people of Wootton Bassett.

Robin and Helena Thatcher said they were unbelievably proud of 19-year-old Cyrus, who died doing what he loved.

Rifleman Thatcher, of 2nd Battalion The Rifles, was killed by an explosion while on patrol near Gereshk in Helmand Province on Tuesday last week. He was the 166th British soldier to die in Afghanistan. His body and those of Lance Corporal Nigel Moffett, 28,and Corporal Stephen Bolger were flown into RAF Lyneham on Friday. Rifleman Thatcher lived with his parents and two brothers, Zac and Steely, in Caversham, Berkshire, and had been in the army since December 2007, signing up after leaving school.

His mother said: “We have been treated like royalty by the army — they have been wonderful. Watching Cyrus arrive back at RAF Lyneham was amazing, such was the respect everybody had for him.

“We’re not bitter about his death, although you always hope you won’t hear the footsteps coming up your drive. It is simply bad luck that Cyrus died — if it wasn’t him it would have been somebody else. We are so unbelievably proud of him. We didn’t think we could feel any more pride in him but we do.

“I feel so sorry for his comrades who are still in Afghanistan. They are all so close, like brothers, and it must be so hard to just carry on. They can’t even come to his funeral, although Cyrus would have understood that this is just how things are. They are all great lads out there and they all look after each other."

L/Cpl Moffett, of the Light Dragoons, from Belfast, and Cpl Bolger, of 1 Para, whose home town and age have not been disclosed, died while on an operation in Musa Qala in Helmand province on Saturday.

Wootton Bassett Mayor Steve Bucknell, said there were more than 1,000 people watching the cortege.