Victims of friendly fire named

Three British soldiers killed when a US aircraft bombed them in Afghanistan were named yesterday.

An F15 similar to the one which targeted the troops An F15 similar to the one which targeted the troops

Aaron “Troy” McClure, 19, Robert Foster, also 19 and John Thrumble, 21, died in one of the deadliest mistakes of the entire conflict. 

Their positions were hit in a “friendly-fire” incident by two US fighter jets during closequarter fighting. Two other members of 1st Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment – dubbed the Vikings – were injured and are being treated in hospital.

Mr McClure came from Ipswich, Mr Foster from Harlow, Essex, and Mr Thrumble from Chelmsford, Essex. Mr McClure had experienced more than 40 firefights against Taliban forces since being posted to Afghanistan in March.

The three British soldiers had been sent to protect the rebuilding of the Kajaki dam – Afghanistan’s largest water reservoir. Because of its ability to provide electricity for two million people – a massive British PR victory in the war of hearts and minds – it remains a main target for Taliban saboteurs.

On Thursday, a patrol of almost 60 men from B Company of the 1st Battalion were near the dam when they found themselves facing bitter close-quarters fighting with insurgents. 

As the fighting intensified, they called upon US F-15 jets for air support – and it was then that the tragedy happened.

Last night Brigadier John Lorimer, commander of the British task force, said: “This is hard-core, in-your-face infantry fighting at its most visceral. “This is soldiers on the ground closing with the enemy as their forefathers have done many years before.

 “We should not dress it up. It is in-your-face and I know that’s not a great expression, but it’s right in there.” 

The decisions and steps that led to the tragedy, which also left two other soldiers seriously wounded, will now be the subject of a Board of Inquiry involving commanders and analysts from both countries. In sentiments that could be echoed for all three deaths,

Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Carver said of McClure: “It is tragic that, where the Taliban had failed, it was an accident that has taken him away from us.”

Brigadier Lorimer added: “It is gut-wrenchingly awful and the effect it has on everyone is significant, particularly the soldiers who were involved, their friends and comrades of those killed and injured. 

“We are all affected by the death of one of our soldiers and no commander likes to lose soldiers and we can barely imagine the pain and grief the family are going through. “But despite that we have to get on with the job we have been given and it is a credit of the professionalism and maturity of our soldiers who take a knock like this and within 24 hours they get up, dust themselves off and get on with the job.” 

Speaking after joining the members of B Company on patrol in Kajaki, he said British troops were determined to beat the Al Qaeda-supported Taliban.

 “To a man they all express a desire to remain and do the job. Morale across the entire force is extremely high.

 “Every soldier, from the most junior up to the brigadier is doing what we all joined the Army to do,” he added.

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