Serjeant Phillip Scott was one of six casualties to be brought back to the UK through RAF Lyneham yesterday. Following a private ceremony for families, hearses carrying the Union flag-draped coffins passed along the high street of nearby Wootton Bassett.

The 30-year-old, of 3rd Battalion The Rifles, was killed by an improvised explosive device near Sangin in Helmand on Thursday.

He was deployed to Afghanistan in September, alongside his brother Robin who is also a serjeant in 3 Rifles.

He lived in Edinburgh and leaves behind his widow, Ellen, and children, Ellie, three, and Michael, one.

The other five soldiers were killed two days earlier when a rogue Afghan police officer turned his gun on them at a secure checkpoint in Nad-e-Ali in Helmand Province in an attack claimed by the Taliban.

The plane transporting their coffins landed at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire just after 11am and following its journey through Wootton Bassett, the procession continued to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital.

Crowds have appeared along the route to pay their respects since the bodies of British service personnel began being brought home through RAF Lyneham in 2007 – yesterday's was Wootton Bassett's 98th repatriation.

Anne Bevis, treasurer of the town's Royal British Legion branch, said support from the townspeople would not wane.

She added: "Each repatriation is different, and it does not get any easier. They have all done their job and paid the ultimate price so a few moments of our time is nothing in comparison. We have come to represent everybody across the UK, and even overseas, in supporting our forces.

"When we first started doing this it was a personal tribute but now we do it to represent the whole nation, but it is no less real to us.

"The way the five soldiers died has shocked people. Roadside bombs and being shot can be expected in wartime, but training someone and working alongside them for them to turn on you is shocking. It must be terrible for their colleagues to have to carry on, but they go on because they have to."

Known as "Scotty" among his colleagues, Sjt Scott joined the army in 2001, completing initial training at the Army Training Regiment, Winchester, and the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, before passing out to join C Company, 2nd Battalion, The Light Infantry in January 2002.

Just over a year later the gamekeeper's son was promoted to Lance Corporal and deployed to Iraq as Second in Command of a Rifle Section.

Sjt Scott, the spelling of "Sergeant" with a 'j' is unique to The Rifles, returned to 3rd Battalion The Rifles in Edinburgh earlier this year and was promoted to Serjeant in July and moved back to Recce Platoon as a Section Commander.

He deployed to Afghanistan in September with C Company alongside his 28-year-old brother Robin, a Platoon Serjeant in A Company of the same regiment.

A career soldier, he hoped to join the Special Forces on his return from the tour.