THERE were emotional scenes for Regimental Sgt Major Wayne Roberts when he and his comrades in the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh returned home from Afghanistan.

Elements of D and A Companies arrived at Dale Barracks in Chester on Tuesday with the entire battalion of more than 500 men scheduled to be back in the UK this week.

Among them was RSM Roberts, whose wife Jo is from Cefn Mawr.
RSM Roberts, of Corwen, is the most senior non-commissioned officer in the battalion and joined the army in 1987.

The family lives together on the barracks and speaking about the reunion with Jo and daughter Sophie, four, RSM Roberts said: “It was great.

“Obviously there were a few delays on the way back – we thought the ash cloud was going to sort us out again.

“It was so intense on the operations that we wanted to get home more than on any other occasion.

“My daughter is four years old and because I haven’t seen her for a number of months she has grown a lot.”

He said the tour had been harder than any he had completed in his 23 years’ of service.

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Lock, Commanding Officer for The Royal Welsh, was also among the soldiers returning home and he praised his battle group for completing what he called a “positive tour”.

“We have been involved in Operation Moshtarak, which has been the key operation  in Afghanistan.”