THERE was a heroes' welcome for the soldiers of the 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment when they returned home from Iraq on Monday.

Dozens of family members lined the parade ground at Bhurtpore Barracks, Tidworth, to welcome home their loved ones from what has been described as the most sustained period of operations since the Korean War 50 years ago.

Children were waving flags they had made and the regiment's Lucknow Band members rolled out to welcome home their comrades.

When the 300-plus soldiers finally arrived after a five-hour delay, there was not a dry eye in sight.

Tringa Sibthorpe (31) was one of the first to race across the ground with her two young children, into the arms of her husband, Warrant Officer (Class II) Wayne Sibthorpe (39).

He said that being apart from his family had been difficult, and he was excited and relieved to be home.

Tringa said: "It has been very, very hard but we've coped - we've had to. We are all very proud of him, all of them."

Kate Jones (32) is used to her husband, Major Chris Jones (34), being away, as he has already completed operational tours in Kosovo and Northern Ireland.

But she said it had been especially difficult with him in Iraq.

"We work on the basis that I don't ask and he doesn't tell," she added.

"Ignorance is definitely bliss."

Valerie Maer (41) is married to commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Matt Maer (40).

Valerie also found this tour the most worrying so far.

"They were supposed to be peacekeeping but it's been more like war, if not outright war," she said.

"They have been under attack so many times.

"It's a great relief to have them home - they've been amazingly lucky." Matt added: "It's definitely harder for the families. When we are away, we have each other, and also we know what's going on.

"For those left behind, very often their imagination is far stronger than the reality."

During their time in Iraq, 1 PWRR 'Armoured Tigers' were based in Al Amara and were effectively responsible for the mentoring of the Iraqi Police and Iraqi National Guard.

But they also had to cope with periods of heavy shelling. In one particularly violent episode, 120 members of the regiment, trapped in a building, came under attack from insurgents loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr.

Seven people were injured and, tragically, one soldier was killed, as more than 400 mortar rounds and 65 rocket-propelled grenades were fired at them during the ten-day siege.

Now the soldiers are looking forward to a well-earned rest, before turning their thoughts to their move across to Germany early next year.