THE mother of a Suffolk soldier who was killed in a friendly fire incident in Afghanistan is still waiting for answers - more than 18 months after his tragic death.

Craig Robinson

THE mother of a Suffolk soldier who was killed in a friendly fire incident in Afghanistan is still waiting for answers - more than 18 months after his tragic death.

Private Aaron McClure, of 2nd Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment, was just 19-years-old when he died along with two others in August 2007.

Last night his mother, Lorraine, of Marlow Road, Ipswich, said all the families still had very little idea of how the investigation into their deaths is progressing and when an inquest will finally be held.

“We haven't been given any time span,” she said. “We're very much still in limbo at the moment.

“I understand that they want to get it right but it's been 18 months now. It's a terribly long time to have to wait. It's just ridiculous.

“We don't know if it's going to be this month, next month - it's difficult to try and move on with it hanging over us. All the time we've heard and read about new things that have come to light - things we didn't know 18 or even 12 months ago.

“All three families have so many questions that we want answered. You're constantly going round thinking about it.”

Pte McClure was killed along with Royal Anglian Regiment colleagues Pte John Thrumble, 21, from Chelmsford, and Robert Foster, 19, from Harlow, in Helmand province when they were hit by a bomb dropped by a US aircraft on August 23, 2007.

His mother also condemned the actions of Muslim protestors who waved offensive placards as members of the 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment marched through Luton.

“When I first heard it on the news I thought it was the biggest insult possible to our soldiers - the ones who have come home, the ones who are still out there and the ones who didn't make it back,” Ms McClure said. “Obviously people are entitled to their own views about what's going on around the world but these soldiers are only doing their job.

“Yes, they signed up to serve in the Army but they don't decide where they go - they are told to serve in Iraq, Afghanistan or wherever. It isn't their choice. They're not to blame. We should be applauding them because they are doing a tremendous job.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said they had been working closely with Wiltshire Coroner's Office and had provided them with the relevant information about the soldiers' deaths.

A spokeswoman for the coroner's office said they received the file at the beginning of the year but because of its complexity were still working towards finalising a date an inquest.