Redcap Corporal Luke Langton was deployed with his colleagues from 101 Provost Company of the Royal Military Police to provide police support and guidance to the more than 7,000 UK personnel based across Afghanistan.

Luke, 21, was based in Kandahar, where he acted as an operations liaison non-commissioned officer for the Kandahar Airfield Battlegroup.

The role involved extended periods spent on the ground with long range patrols with units such as the Ghurkhas and Paras.

"Working with the 1st Battalion, the Royal Ghurkha Rifles, was one of the best things; an amazing opportunity," said Luke.

"We also worked with the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, mainly around Kandahar but also in Maywand district, which is in the western part of the province."

"My company was the first coalition forces to enter Maywand, so there was a real sense of achievement."

A former pupil of South Axholme School in Epworth, Luke trained as a chef before joining the Army in 2004.

He is currently based in Mönchengladbach, in Germany, close to the border with Holland. The tour of Afghanistan was his first but he has also served in Iraq since enlisting.

And although he enjoyed the challenges of his six months in Kandahar, there were naturally aspects of the tour that were more difficult to deal with.

"Being involved in heavy contacts whilst on patrol with the infantry was probably one of the worst memories for me," added Luke.

"Indeed, with the approach of the summer and the end of the poppy harvest in Afghanistan, attacks by insurgents increased we were pleased to be returning home."

They stopped over in Cyprus before returning to Germany to be welcomed by family and friends.

Luke and his colleagues were presented with their campaign medals at a special ceremony by Major General Mungo Melvin, the General Commanding Officer of United Kingdom Support Command, which is also based in Mönchengladbach.

Many families had travelled over from the UK for the colourful parade, which saw the troops march in to music from the Band of the Parachute Regiment while children from the base's primary schools lined the route and waved flags.

The company are now on some well earned leave, before returning to duty later this month.

"I'm looking forward to spending time with friends and family again and my girlfriend and I have just returned from a chill out holiday in Cancun," added Luke.

The number of UK troops killed in Afghanistan has recently reached 100 and on Monday the four latest casualties, including the first servicewoman killed in action, returned home to be buried.

Of all those killed, 26 died from accidents, illness, or non-combat injuries, according to the Ministry of Defence (MOD).