Bodies of 'friendly fire' victims flown home

The bodies of three British soldiers killed in an apparent "friendly fire" incident in southern Afghanistan have been repatriated to the UK.

Privates Aaron James McClure, Robert Graham Foster and John Thrumble, from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, died when a US fighter aircraft dropped a bomb on them as they patrolled an area north-west of Kajaki, Helmand Province, last week.

The three young men's remains were repatriated on Friday at RAF Lyneham in Chippenham, Wiltshire.

They were killed when two US F15s were called in to help after the British unit came under attack from Taliban fighters on August 23.

The soldiers were declared dead at the scene and the two wounded were evacuated to Camp Bastion with serious injuries.

An inquiry has been launched into what went so disastrously wrong.

Pte McClure, 19, who joined the Army in March 2006, had been serving in Afghanistan since March 2007.

In a statement his parents and brothers said he loved army life and had aspirations for promotion.

Pte Foster, 19, from Harlow, in Essex, had been serving in Helmand as a rifleman since March 2007.

His family described him as "the most wonderful son".

Pte Thrumble, 21, from Chelmsford, in Essex, had been in the Army since April 2004 and joined the Regiment in July 2005.

His father, Stephen, said: "Although John loved his family dearly he had become attached to his second family, B Company, 'the Vikings', and was proud to serve alongside the friends he had made on the way."

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