Eight soldiers flown home from Afghanistan
The procession is the largest to pass through the market town since it became an official repatriation station in 2007. In 2005 the bodies of 10 military personnel killed in Iraq when their Hercules transport plane crashed were also brought to Lyneham because of their link with the base.
Crowds made up of shopkeepers, pub landlords, restaurant owners, British Legion members, veterans and families have appeared spontaneously at the roadside to pay their respects since 2007.
Mayor of Wootton Bassett Steve Bucknell paid tribute to the town's ongoing patriotism today
He said: "Every repatriation is a very sad event, whether it is one person or eight.
"What makes it so much sadder is when you see the friends and family of the fallen and it brings it home that these are real people with real lives - someone's son, grandson, brother and father. They are going to leave a hole in many lives.
"The people of Wootton Bassett are fantastic. They never fail to amaze me with their ability to always do the right thing. What started as a relatively small show of respect has grown. We just hope that the atmosphere of silence and respect can be maintained."
The return of the latest eight casualties comes amid renewed controversy over the resources and manpower committed to Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown was accused of rejecting a plea from military chiefs to send 2,000 additional troops and taking the cheaper option of a single battalion of 700 men, bringing the total UK deployment to around 9,000.
On Monday Mr Brown said the last few weeks of fighting had been "a sad and difficult time" for Britain, but insisted it was right to press on with efforts to stop al Qaida using Afghanistan as a base for worldwide terror.
His words came after a total of 15 soldiers died in Afghanistan in 10 days, bringing the total number of UK military fatalities in the country since 2001 to 184 - surpassing the 179 who died in Iraq.
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