Planes from RAF Lyneham deliver supplies and troops

Not only are the Hercules planes and their crews supplying units in Kuwait, they are also operating in other parts of the war zone - and can provide an air evacuation link for any casualties if necessary.

More than 50 C130 aircraft from the base are flying missions in the gulf, helping to support the British units pushing north into Iraq.

My husband gets upset when he sees protesters. They have no respect for the women who are left here Zoe Cobbett RAF wife

Group Captain Ray Lock, commanding officer at the base, told the BBC: "Over the last couple of weeks the tempo has picked up quite a lot.

"But in terms of delivering freight and people, moving people around and providing medical support, I am very pleased with the way everyone has performed."

With the majority of its aircraft involved in operations overseas, Lyneham is almost empty.

Morale is high but the wives of servicemen there say anti-war protesters do not understand how their comments are affecting very young children.

Well briefed

Some say they have been upset by some of the comments made.

Karen Wilson, RAF wife, said: "My husband has been away since November.

"My children see protesters on TV. They assume their dad has done something wrong. They feel like he is the guilty partner."

Zoe Cobbett added: "My husband gets upset when he sees protesters.

"They have no respect for the women who are left here.

Humanitarian aid

"They upset the wives and the children here and it is not fair," she added.

Group Captain Lock says people were briefed beforehand.

"When they went out, we briefed them that certain elements of the media - maybe some UK citizens - will not be wholly supportive and that they needed to start preparing their families for that."

He added that it should not be forgotten that, historically, the base has always been at the forefront of delivering humanitarian aid - in Ethiopia and again in Kosovo.