AN Army battalion which lost five of its members during a punishing deployment in Afghanistan was welcomed home today in a tearful homecoming.

A total of 120 soldiers from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards returned to their base in Aldershot, Hampshire, following a six-month operational tour in Afghanistan.

During the deployment five members of the battalion were killed along with two other members of the wider battle group attached to it.

Among those killed were Guardsman Michael Sweeney, 19, of Blyth in Northumberland, who died in the Babaji District of central Helmand Province on April 1 after treading on a hidden bomb.

And Acting Sergeant John Amer, 30, from Sunderland, died from the wounds he suffered in a blast in the Babaji area on November 30.

The father-of-one had gone to help a colleague who had been wounded in another explosion moments earlier when he stepped on an improvised explosive device.

Acting Sgt Amer's friend, Sgt Matt Nichol, 30, spoke today of his mixed emotions on his return.

He said he was delighted to meet up with his fiancee, Sgt Cara Storey, 31, who serves in the Army's dental corps.

They had become engaged on New Year's Eve when he was on leave following the death of Acting Sgt Amer.

He said: "It is quite strange to be back, its a mixed bag of emotions because some who should have come back are not and it takes you back a bit.

"We got engaged at New Year because my R and R (rest and recuperation) was brought forward after my best friend was killed and it put things in perspective for me."

Those returning to base today included Tony Innes, from Sunderland, who was met by family members including his daughter Ellie, aged seven, and neice Lilly, four.

An Army spokesman said: "The majority of those returning are from 1 Company that saw some of the fiercest action during the operation."

Battalion adjutant Captain Jamie Russell, 29, said the homecoming was tinged with sadness because of the casualties.

He said: "It's obviously a huge relief to arrive home and for the families here its as much a relief to see their loved ones come home.

"I am sure there is a lump in the back of the throat and a few tears of happiness for the families here.

"However, there is a tinge of sadness that some haven't come home and they will not be getting off the coaches with us.

"It has been incredibly humbling to see what the 18-year-old guardsmen of this company have achieved in the long six-month deployment."