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| Britain |
| Iraq soldiers' bodies flown home |
| 2006-02-08 |
| The bodies of three soldiers killed while on duty in Iraq were flown back into the country on Wednesday. A repatriation ceremony took place at RAF Brize Norton, Oxon, for L/Cpl Allan Douglas, 22, Cpl Gordon Pritchard, 31 and Trooper Carl Smith, 23, The three were the 99th, 100th and 101st UK servicemen to die since the Iraq war began. Defence Secretary John Reid has said the time is approaching" when coalition forces "can begin leaving Iraq". Mr Reid said there could be "significantly fewer" UK troops there by next year. Trooper Smith, from Kettering, Northants, killed in a road traffic accident in Abu al Khasib, had only been on duty in Iraq for 11 days. The soldier - who has a three-year-old son, Lewis - had joined the forces at the age of 22 and had been in Iraq since 23 January, serving with the 9th/12th Lancers. Cpl Gordon Pritchard and L/Cpl Allan Douglas (from l - r) It was not yet clear whether the accident was caused by a collision with another vehicle. On 30 January, Lance Corporal Douglas, from Aberdeen and a member of 1st Battalion The Highlanders, was shot dead after coming under small-arms fire on patrol in the Maysan province. His father, Walter, 54, said his son's funeral was likely to take place next Monday in Aberdeen. The following day Cpl Pritchard became the 100th member of the British armed forces to die since the Iraq war began. The married father of three from Edinburgh was killed when the Land Rover he was travelling in was blasted by a roadside bomb in Um Qasr. He died instantly and three other soldiers were injured, one seriously. We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire...Give us the tools and we will finish the job. Sir Winston Churchill, BBC radio broadcast, Feb 9, 1941 British politician (1874 - 1965) Thank you Great Briton. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #5 RIP GREAT MEN |
| Posted by: Elmiting Gluger1772 2006-02-08 20:45 |
| #4 Blessings on them and their families. And may their children live such lives as to bring their families as much justified pride as their fathers have done. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-02-08 17:50 |
| #3 No problems Howard. At happier times I've spent a few nights at Brize Norton myself. Milk and biscuits from the naffie were always a treat. Friendly folks back then, I'm sure they still are. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-02-08 16:13 |
| #2 Another Churchill q btw.. NIce one Bes. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2006-02-08 15:59 |
| #1 We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2006-02-08 15:58 |