'Friendly fire' plane was from Suffolk

AN AMERICAN bomb that killed three soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment was dropped from a plane based in Suffolk, it emerged last night.The three servicemen - including 19-year-old Ipswich soldier Aaron McClure - died last week in Afghanistan when a 500lb bomb was dropped by an F-15 jet.

AN AMERICAN bomb that killed three soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment was dropped from a plane based in Suffolk, it emerged last night.

The three servicemen - including 19-year-old Ipswich soldier Aaron McClure - died last week in Afghanistan when a 500lb bomb was dropped by an F-15 jet.

A spokesman for US Central Command last night confirmed the F-15 was based at the RAF Lakenheath airbase, but he refused to say if the pilots were still flying missions.

There are understood to be about 20 aircraft from the 48th Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath who are currently serving in the region.

An investigation by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the American authorities is currently under way into the “friendly fire” incident, which also killed Privates John Thrumble, 21, from Chelmsford, and Robert Foster, 19, from Harlow. Two other soldiers were also injured.

The soldiers were all serving with 7 Platoon B Company (Suffolk) of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment.

Tributes have continued to be paid to Pte McClure, whose body is due to be flown home after a military service.