IT was the moment they had waited six long months for.

Yesterday, hundreds of husbands, wives, sons and daughters threw their arms around 100 soldiers returning home from Afghanistan.

There were dozens of tearful reunions as members of 12 Logistic Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps came back from a six-month tour of the war-torn country.

Families gathered in anticipation outside the Dalton Barracks Welfare Centre near Abingdon from around 4pm as they waited for their loved ones to arrive.

Some drank coffee and tea, others beer, while children played on a bouncy castle in the sun.

Then, around half an hour later than planned, the coaches arrived and the emotional embraces began.

A high five from a four-legged friend was waiting for Major Angela Edwards when she stepped off the coach.

Miss Edwards’s fiancee, fellow Major Simon Briggs, had prepared a surprise for her by training their faithful dog George to give her the greeting.

Miss Edwards, 36, had been posted abroad since her last rest and recuperation visit to England in January.

She said: “It feels amazing to be back, I’m thrilled. George did the high five, which was great.

“When we came round the corner, I had butterflies, I was so nervous. Now that I’m back we want to do lots of exciting things. We’re going to meet a lot of friends and go for lots of long walks with the dog, as well as a few glasses of rosé.”

Major Briggs, 32, serves with the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and is based at Imjin Barracks in Gloucester.

He said: “It felt like our first date all over again.

“It has been tough with her gone. I know what it’s like from the other end. I’ve done three tours of Kabul and two of Helmand and I would take those over being at home and missing her any day.”

When the two coaches carrying the troops arrived, families ran to the roadside and waved at their loved ones through tinted glass.

‘Welcome home’ signs and banners, some made by children, had been put up around the centre in anticipation.

A number of the signs were made by pupils at nearby Carswell Primary School, in Abingdon, as about a third of pupils are from forces families.

It was smiles all round for Lance Corporal David Reid, who was not expecting to be greeted by his four-year-old daughter Ebonnie and girlfriend Sadie Fleming.

Mr Reid had not seen his family since a rest and recuperation visit in November.

Miss Fleming said: “He didn’t know we were coming. We drove up from Canterbury to see him. “It’s been hard, very hard without him.”

Mr Reid, 31, said: “My first thought coming in through the gate was trying to pick them out of the crowd. It’s good to be back.”

Throughout the six-month tour, the regiment has been based at Camp Bastion in Helmand province, where it has provided kit, food and ammunition to troops.

After arriving at Dalton Barracks yesterday, members of the regiment returned body armour and papers before being reunited with family members.

Ministry of Defence spokesman Chris Fletcher said: “The members of the regiment were commenting on how well the tour has gone because they achieved their targets in supplying and retrieving some of the kit which is making its way back to the UK before the draw down next year.”

Tears as father greets his two daughters.

Staff Sergeant Andy Harris, 37, pictured, couldn’t let go of his daughters when he came face to face with them for the first time in six months.

Ava, three, left, and Mya, 15 months, right, were over the moon to see their father again.

Staff Sgt Harris said: “It was quite emotional having the girls come up to me.

“I don’t know exactly what we’re going to do now I’m back, but I know Ava has a list of things for us.”

His wife Stacey Harris, 31, was also there for the emotional moment.

Mrs Harris said: “We didn’t know exactly how my eldest was going to react because of the age she’s at, but she went running up to him and gave him a big hug, which made me cry.

“It has been difficult with him away, especially with the girls the age that they are, because Mya doesn’t really understand.

“We make sure we show her pictures and talk about him, and she knows he works away on an aeroplane.”

Together as family at last.

Another warm welcome was in store for Sergeant Bianca Thorpe when she came back from Afghanistan yesterday.

Her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Jasmine Stephenson was waiting with husband Corporal Chris Stephenson, all pictured.

Cpl Stephenson, who serves with the fourth regiment, said: “I went out last March and came back in September, so we only had a three-day overlap. It was strange for me last year because Jasmine was only little when I went out there and I suddenly came back to being a parent.”

Sgt Thorpe said: “I was crying before we even came in through the gate, I didn’t know what I was doing. We’re going to go home now and Chris is going to cook a roast dinner.”