TERRITORIAL Army (TA) soldiers collecting medals for their service in Afghanistan have paid tribute to their fallen colleagues.

As a platoon of TA soldiers from the 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment were presented with operational service medals at York racecourse on Saturday, to mark a sixmonth tour of duty in Afghanistan, thoughts were with the families of soldiers killed in the country, and the troops who are still serving there.

Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel David Rhodes said: “Our hearts go out to all the families of those who have died since the conflict began.”

Of those on parade on Saturday he said: “They richly deserve this honour and their friends and families are justly proud of them for the role they played.”

Lance Corporal Damien Eyre, 38, from Huddersfield, said the battalion’s hearts were with the families of the fallen and the troops still serving in the country.

He said: “We need the British people to stand behind them and support them at this difficult time.”