Two Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan have been awarded medals during an emotional ramp ceremony at Amberley air base.
The remains of Sappers Jacob Moerland and Darren Smith arrived at the RAAF Base Amberley, southwest of Brisbane, on Sunday morning.
Sapper Smith, 25, received five medals including an Afghanistan campaign
medal and a Nato Medal.
Sapper Moerland, 21, received six medals including an Australian Defence Medal and an Army Combat Badge.
Sadly, they both received Returned From Active Service Badges.
The medals were attached to Australian flags draped over the coffins by the Chief of Army Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie during the traditional ramp ceremony.
The service took about half an hour, watched by family members, about 200 military personnel and dignitaries including Defence Minister John Faulkner and Defence head Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston at the air base.
As family members embraced at the end of the ceremony, Sapper Moerland's mother Sandra Moerland lent over and embraced Sapper Smith's wife Angela.
Sapper Moerland and Sapper Smith, members of the Brisbane-based 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, died when an insurgent improvised explosive device (IED) detonated during an operation on June 7.
Sapper Smith's bomb detector dog Herbie was also killed by the blast.
Their deaths took the Australian casualty toll in Afghanistan to 13 since 2002.
This was also the first time Australia had suffered multiple combat casualties since the Vietnam War.
The caskets were brought off the C17 aircraft, led by a lone piper and drummer, about 10.30am with Sapper Moerland's casket the first to be marched out.
Twenty members of their unit formed a guard of honour as the caskets were marched along the red carpet to waiting families.
Relatives were given private time with the caskets to pay their respects.
The bodies have now been taken away ahead of funeral services expected later this week.
- AAP
