The body of Marine Paul Collins, of Dawlish – killed with four others in a helicopter crash in Basra – has been flown home. Representatives of Marine Collins' family were at RAF Brize Norton to greet his coffin, which, draped in the Union flag, was carried slowly off a transport plane. Also there was the Duchess of Gloucester, Armed Forces minister Adam Ingram, Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman and the three Service frontline operational commanders – Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, General Sir Richard Dannatt and Air Chief Marshall Sir Joe French. All five personnel – Marine Collins, Wing Cdr John Coxen, Lt Cdr Darren Chapman RN, Flt Lt Sarah Mulvihill, and Capt David Dobson, Army – were part of Joint Helicopter Command. The Service of Repatriation was led by the senior chaplains from all three Services. Music at the ceremony was provided by the The Royal Marines Band based at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Commodore Tony Johnstone-Burt, deputy commander of JHC, said: 'They were all exceptional individuals who have left a lasting legacy with all those fortunate enough to have known them.' Marine Collins, 21 – previously described as a young man who 'was the epitome of what the Royal Marines represent' – was an air door gunner with 847 Naval Air Squadron. He had wanted to be a marine since he was 10 years old. He passed out from the Commando Training Centre on February 13, 2004. The bodies left Iraq after a brief sunset ceremony attended by the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Secretary of State for Defence At the time of going to press, funeral arrangements for Marine Collins were not known.
