A Scottish welcome greeted the arrival on German soil

A party greeted them at their barracks in Fallingbostel, northern Germany, where partners and families awaited their return.

Most of the soldiers are members of the famous Scottish regiment, Black Watch, part of the 7th Armoured Brigade, which led the Desert Rats attack on Basra, Iraq's second city.

They were involved in a three-week battle to secure the city from forces loyal to Saddam Hussein.

Sergeant Jim Mathieson, 31, who became a father to Aird two weeks before, said: "My wife Margaret is doing fine and she's a lot happier now I'm back for good."

Every thought goes through your head when you know someone who is out there Yvonne Cooper

Yvonne Cooper, whose husband, Brian, 37, is a Black Watch Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant, said she was "elated".

"I think every thought goes through your head when you know someone who is out there, like fear and the unknown, because you just do not know what is going to happen," she said.

Earlier, at Hanover Airport, Army Brigadier Paul Gibson said the troops had earned a reputation that was "second to none" for their part in what he described as "one of the most significant UK military operations in years".

He said: "You have individually fought with outstanding professionalism, utter determination and, what I think is most important, with considerable compassion."

The brigadier said their switching between fighting and peacekeeping was especially praiseworthy.

The Black Watch Raised in 1725 to maintain law and order in the Highlands after the first Jacobite Rebellion Named from a combination of their role and the very dark tartan which they wore Last British regiment to serve in Hong Kong, which was handed back to China in 1997 In pictures: Scotland's heroes

The soldiers will also be remembering their colleague Lance Corporal Barry Stephen, 31, from Perth, who was killed on 24 March.

The married serviceman died in a rocket grenade attack in southern Iraq - the only Scottish serviceman to die in action during the war.

Some of the regiment had been away for six months.

But several thousand UK troops remain in Iraq, including 1 and 3 Para and much of the 7th Armoured Brigade.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has conceded that reinforcements might be needed, after six troops died this week in an attack at an Iraqi police station.