THE British Army in Afghanistan has "the best equipment in the world", says a Plymouth soldier who has just returned from Helmand, writes Keith Rossiter.

Lance Corporal Pilgrim Patton, of 2nd Battalion the Rifles, said that criticism of the Army's equipment was exaggerated.

The Government has come under fire for allegedly failing to protect and equip soldiers adequately, but L Cpl Patton said: "They will never be able to protect us 100 per cent."

Speaking at a welcome-home gathering of family and friends at the weekend he said: "Every time we get new body armour, the Taliban will get a bigger bullet," L Cpl Patton said during the function at the Patna pub.

"If we get better armoured vehicles, the Taliban will make bigger bombs."

L Cpl Patton, who has five children aged from three and a half to 13, used his homecoming party to promote the Help for Heroes campaign (www.helpforheroes.org.uk).

He paid tribute to those injured in the war, who he said were not letting their disabilities get in the way of living their lives.

"You are all a vital part of anyone's tour," he told the pub crowd. "You are all the backbone of the British fighting man.

"The fallen men will not be forgotten. They are all heroes."

In an emotional speech, he read out the names of the 14 members of his battalion who had been killed during their tour of duty. They are: Riflemen Adrian Sheldon, Cyrus Thatcher, Daniel Simpson, James Backhouse, Joseph Murphy, William Aldridge, Aminiasi Toge, Daniel Wild, Philip Allen, Lt Paul Mervis, Cpl Jonathan Horne, Capt Mark Hale, Sjt Paul McAleese, Sjt Stuart McGrath.

"I'm not afraid to admit that when I heard some of my friends – and especially my boss, Captain Mark Hale – had died, I went outside and cried," L Cpl Patton said.

He praised the Afghan police and army, saying that the incident earlier this month, when a rogue policeman shot five British soldiers, was "a one-off".

"The Afghan people are brilliant. They are so warm and so wise.

"We are making a difference in Afghanistan. My friends didn't die for nothing – they did make a difference."

He said: "I've got my legs and arms and I can come home and see my kids. I've had the honour and privilege of meeting the guys who have been injured and the families of those who didn't come home.

"I didn't want this to be about me. I want the emphasis to be on the Help for Heroes campaign and those who didn't make it home.

The battalion, which is based in Ballykinler in Northern Ireland, has spent six and half months in Helmand.

"This has been, sadly, the worst loss of life for any regiment so far," L Cpl Patton said.