ON behalf of RAF Leeming, and in particular 2 Force Protection Wing RAF Regiment, including 34 Squadron RAF Regiment, I write to express my heartfelt thanks to the Mayor and townspeople of Bedale for the warm and generous welcome they extended to the Homecoming Parade on January 21 (Echo, Jan 22).

The Wing returned home in December following an arduous seven-month commitment at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan during which Corporal Marcin Wojtak was killed by an improvised explosive device.

All personnel on parade were deeply touched and overwhelmed by the warm welcome, cheers and waves that greeted them as they marched through Bedale.

The Mayor, Councillor Wanda Reynolds, and her colleagues at Bedale Town Council worked very hard alongside members of 34 Squadron to organise the event and the response from the local community, which we see ourselves very much a part of, was far above and beyond anything we expected.

Wing personnel are now enjoying some well-deserved leave and adventurous training. They left knowing that they have the full support of their local community and that their difficult and dangerous role will be remembered when they deploy to Afghanistan again at the end of this year.

Thank you very much Bedale for your outstanding and enduring support which is deeply appreciated by all at RAF Leeming.

Group Captain Bill Gibson, Station Commander, RAF Leeming, Northallerton.