GAZETTE & HERALD: RAF Lyneham came to a standstill on Tuesday as the bodies of the ten servicemen killed in last month's Hercules tragedy were flown home.

Shops closed for business and all operations ceased as family and colleagues gathered for the moving repatriation ceremony.

An electronic sign near the entrance to the base captured the feelings of both community and base: "We will remember them".

Military police were on duty in the village and the normally busy gates to the base were closed from 11.30am to 3pm.

Wing Commander Jules Eaton of 4 Force Protection Wing at Lyneham, said they wanted to keep the repatriation dignified and respectful.

"It's been a balance between decorum and bringing the families back together," he said.

"It followed the same pattern as previous repatriations."

Initial doubt over where the men would be brought was cleared on Monday when it was confirmed that they would be brought home to Lyneham where eight of the ten were based.

It had originally been suggested they should be flown into nearby RAF Brize Norton.

But due to what the RAF called exceptional circumstances, a decision was made to bring them straight to Lyneham.

The Princess Royal, Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Lyneham and Colonel in Chief of the Royal Corps of Signals, and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon flew into the station on Tuesday morning.

It was the second time in a week that the princess and the minister had been at the base.

Wing Cdr Eaton said Lyneham was grateful for the support given by the Princess.

"We are very pleased to see her as always," he said. "Her support is always welcome."

The news that everyone at the station had been dreading since the start of the Iraq conflict came through soon after the crash on Sunday January 30.

Within hours, the aircraft was confirmed as being one of the Lyneham based Hercules.

Senior RAF chiefs were called into the station and that evening they had the grim task of breaking the news to the families.

Wing Cdr Eaton said: "It's a very difficult decision to take so early on.

"There are mistakes which could be made families told their loved ones are not involved and they are, or vice versa. But families had to be told first. They were the priority."

News spread across the base and the following morning, all 1,500 personnel on the base had learned of the crash.

"We didn't call everyone in but each section commander told their sections and it filtered through.

"I think Lyneham was hit particularly hard. Hercules personnel know they won't be moved around the country every few years so they settle into the area.

"It's a very close-knit community."

Wing Cdr Eaton, who has just returned from four months in Basra, said he was at home preparing to move house when he received a phone call on that fateful afternoon.

"I was called in by the duty operations staff," he said.

"Early indications showed it was a Lyneham aircraft so we all came in to support Wing Commander Neville.

"We coped. It was a very difficult day for everyone but that was nothing compared to what the families have been through."

"Wing Cdr Neville lost five of his squadron in the crash, and had the heartbreaking task of dealing with the relatives.

"Wing Cdr Carolyn Gill, who is in charge of the engineering wing, lost two of her men.

"The station and the Hercules force in particular was like a family.

"We train, live and work together even more so on operations," he said.

"People can't appreciate how close we grow because we come to rely on each other so much.

"We share hardship and danger."

Wing Cdr Eaton, who did not know any of the victims personally, said the impact of the crash had been clearly felt, especially in 47 Squadron.

Despite the impact of the crew's death on the base he stressed that RAF Lyneham still had personnel operating in Iraq and in other parts of the world arena.

He said it was important that the very busy base now had to get on with day-to-day life and continue its vital role.