There was speculation the men were executed

The Red Caps - who should have had 600 rounds - were also forced to hand back grenades and doses of morphine, the News of the World said.

They were killed in an Iraqi police station on 24 June last year after being surrounded by more than 400 protesting Iraqis.

The MoD declined to comment until an Army investigation was completed.

RMP TROOPS KILLED IN IRAQ Corporal Simon Miller, 21 Tyne and Wear Sergeant Simon Alexander Hamilton-Jewell, 41 from Chessington, Surrey Corporal Russell Aston, 30 Swadlincote, Derbyshire Corporal Paul Graham Long, 24 Colchester Lance-Corporal Benjamin John McGowan Hyde, 23 Northallerton, Yorks Lance-Corporal Thomas Richard Keys, 20 Bala, N Wales

The men were also given faulty radios and lacked heavy machine guns, according to the newspaper, which claimed to have seen a copy of a report by the Army's Special Investigation Branch.

The Red Caps from 156 Provost Company were in Iraq to train Iraqi policemen in Majar el-Kabir, 120 miles north of Basra.

It is thought they were attacked during demonstrations against what were seen as heavy-handed weapons searches by British forces.

An MoD spokesman said: "The investigation being conducted by the Royal Military Police will be looking into the issues of morphine and ammunition.

"It is therefore not appropriate to comment until the investigation is completed."