There was a mixture of relief and sadness last night over the withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan.
Relief that the mission set up back in 2002 to disrupt terrorist training camps had been a success.
But sadness that 448 British troops had lost their lives - including six from Huddersfield.
The conflict claimed the lives of Lance Cpl Graham Shaw, of Golcar; Capt Lisa Head, of Almondbury; Cpl Jake Hartley, of New Mill; Pte Daniel Wilford, of Cowlersley; Pte Anton Frampton, of Longwood; and Pte Tom Wroe, of Meltham.
Pte Wroe’s father Michael, himself a former soldier, said: “It is a good thing that the mission is ending and it is about time our boys came home.
“There is a feeling that we have done what we had to do but obviously it is so sad that there has been such a tragic loss of life, especially in Huddersfield.
“It is good to see the troops coming home and let us hope their work and their sacrifices have made a difference”.
Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney, who served in Iraq with the RAF, said: “We went to Afghanistan under a UN resolution to disrupt and prevent terrorist training camps after the Twin Towers attack and we have achieved our aim.
“I am sure that many lives have been saved in the UK but our actions in Afghanistan.
“But it is so sad that so many local families have lost their loved ones. I attended four of those funerals and could see how people felt.
“We are ready for the withdrawal. The Afghan authorities are in a position to take over and we can withdraw our troops in a planned and controlled way.
“I am sure those who gave their lives will never be forgotten”.
British troops have left all but one forward operating base in Helmand province, as the UK reaches a major milestone in the drawdown from Afghanistan.
Just one base, Sterga 2, remains in Helmand outside Camp Bastion, effectively becoming Britain’s front line in the area, as the UK works towards withdrawing all combat troops by the end of this year.
In an operation lasting more than a month, three important bases have been closed or handed over to Afghan control.
Main Operating Base (MOB) Lashkar Gah - the former headquarters of UK military forces in Afghanistan - and Patrol Base (PB) Lashkar Gah Durai have been handed over to Afghan control.
And at the weekend, final equipment was brought back to Camp Bastion - which itself is slowly being closed down - from a third base, MOB Price.
They are the latest milestone in a drawdown that has seen UK bases reduce from 137 at the height of the campaign, while Afghan forces are now leading 97% of all security operations across the country and carrying out over 90% of their own training.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: “The handover and closure of our bases across Helmand underlines the progress UK Forces have made to increase security and stability across the province but also to build up the capability of the Afghan forces who will carry that work forward.
“Those service personnel who have served in Lashkar Gah and Lashkar Gah Durai and at MOB Price as part of successive UK brigades have made a huge contribution to the campaign which has safeguarded our national security at home.
“UK combat operations will cease by the end of this year but our support for the Afghan people will continue”.
