THE mother of Exeter TA soldier Mark Marshall, killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, has urged people "not to cry, just smile, like he did".

But as his body was brought home yesterday and paraded through the town of Wootton Bassett in a moving and emotional repatriation, his many friends and colleagues struggled to keep tears at bay.

The silence as the Union Flag-draped coffin of Rifleman Marshall made its way through the High Street was, at first, only broken by the heavy rain pounding onto the road.

Witnessed by a crowd up to ten deep, their heads bowed and arms raised in a respectful salute for Mark and four other serviceman killed in Afghanistan — Lance Sergeant David Greenhalgh, Lance Corporal Darren Hicks, Kingsman Sean Dawson, and Sapper Guy Mellors — the row of hearses stopped in front of the town's war memorial. Then, for some, it suddenly all became too much.

Loud cries and screams erupted as friends and family of all the lost servicemen stepped forward to place flowers on top of the cars and emotion took over.

Mark's mother, Lynn Marshall, of Stoke Hill, Exeter, said the support shown had meant everything to her.

She said: "The weather has been atrocious so the support has been marvellous and so comforting. Please don't cry, just smile, like he did, and remember the good times."

Rifleman Marshall, 29, was killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated while he was on a foot patrol with the 3 Rifles Battle Group on Sunday, February 14.

The 29-year-old member of the Territorial Army was also a police community support officer who worked within the communities of Topsham and Countess Wear.

Among those who attended his repatriation were more than 30 of his colleagues from Exeter.

Speaking on their behalf, Sgt Matt Lazenby, who had worked with Mark for four years, said: "There are about 35 of us here and they are all staff who worked with Mark and we felt it was the right thing to do to mark our respect for a good friend and colleague. It was obviously very upsetting but it was important we are here to show our respect to Mark and other members of the military.

"I worked with him for four years and in all that time he was a hard-working, dedicated and extremely well liked and respected member of the team.

"I met Lynn and his sister and they said they were very pleased that we made the effort."

Sgt Neil Harvey, 45, who worked with and was also a neighbour of Rifleman Marshall, said: "He was an absolutely fantastic man and we are very proud of his achievements. He always wanted to join the TA. We are here to show our respect and support the family and our thoughts are with them."

Despite a heavy downpour, crowds had begun to gather from around 11am.

They waited patiently as families of those killed spent some private time with their lost loved ones at a chapel of rest at RAF Lyneham, where they had arrived by C-17 transport plane. With the clock approaching 3pm, bells rang to signal that the procession was on its way.

Standard bearers from branches of the Royal British Legion stepped forward and the cry of "Up" prompted a mass salute. Sixty seconds later the hearses set off on the first stage of their final journey, which continued to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital for post-mortem examinations.

More than 100 repatriation ceremonies have now taken place in Wootton Bassett, and the town has become the focus of the nation's respect and grief of every young life lost in service. A bronze memorial in the town centre, constantly filled with fresh flowers, shows a globe being held aloft by four hands and has become a symbol of the united military family. A large Union Flag was lowered to half mast while several shops and homes marking the route displayed their own in the window.