ASKED how it felt like to hold his five-week-old son in his arms for the first time, Trooper Matthew Tapp found it difficult to put into words.

"I don't know, really - but my legs are still shaking," he said.

The 23-year-old was greeted at Catterick Garrison's Cambrai Barracks, in North Yorkshire, yesterday by fiancee Emma Jarrett, 22, and new-born Kieron.

Trooper Tapp, from Cwmbran in south Wales, said he felt more nervous coming home to meet his son for the first time than he had going to Iraq.

"I'm just glad to be home and to have got the job done but I've been warned I'm going to be doing a few night duties - including changing nappies and doing feeds."

His proud mother, and new grandmother, Janita Tapp, said: "He told us he just wants to go home, so we are driving straight back to Wales."

Trooper Tapp was one of 50 soldiers from 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards (Welsh cavalry) to arrive at Catterick.

The regiment had been based in southern Iraq, working as divisional troops and handling prisoners of war.

The regiment's A squadron commander, Major Matthew Botsford, was also given permission to travel on the first available plane home as wife, Maria, is expecting their fourth child within days.

Also back just in time for the birth of his first child was Trooper Merrich Lacey, 20, from Pontypridd, south Wales, who only found out he was coming home to eight months pregnant wife Lyanne on Monday.

"There were only 12 seats on the plane for my squadron so I was really surprised when I was told I could have one of them. I really didn't expect to be back in time for the birth but being home is fantastic."