Some of the six who died were about to head back to the UK

Col Thomas A Beckett denied claims made by the men's families they were sent into a "powder keg", saying it was one of the most "benign" areas of Iraq.

The men, from the Goojerat Barracks in Essex, died in an attack on a police station in Majar al-Kabir in 2003.

Their relatives claim the Army could have done more to prevent the deaths.

Col Beckett, the first witness, said Maysan province had a population of between 500,000 to 550,000 people which was split down political, religious and tribal lines.

This was the most benign province in Iraq Colonel Thomas A Beckett

There was approximately one Kalashnikov automatic rifle for every head of population and a two-week weapons amnesty had failed, he said.

But there was not any previous history of attacks against troops, he added.

"The intent (of the locals) was to work with the coalition, that was my belief.

"It was a genuinely held belief by the majority of people that this was the most benign province in Iraq."

This was why, he explained when challenged by solicitor John Mackenzie representing five of the families, there where only some 1,060 troops from the 1 UK Battle Group in the province, when there are around 20,000 in similarly-sized Northern Ireland.

"You were sitting on a powder keg," said Mr Mackenzie.

Mr Beckett responded: "No, my estimate of the problems - and this was supported by the local leaders and, I believe, at divisional level - is benign but fragile."

There were only 20 to 25 soldiers from 156 Provost Company to train up the entire provincial police force and it would have been desirable to have had double that, he said.

'Heavy-handed'

Before the inquest, Reg Keys, the father of Lance Corporal Tom Keys, said he wanted the inquest to bring the true facts to light and prove that the deaths could have been prevented.

SIX DEATHS IN IRAQ Cpl Simon Miller 21, from Tyne and Wear Sgt Simon Hamilton-Jewell 41, of Chessington, Surrey Cpl Russell Aston 30, of Swadlincote, Derbyshire Cpl Paul Long 24, from Colchester L/Cpl Benjamin McGowan Hyde 23, of Northallerton, North Yorkshire L/Cpl Tom Keys 20, of Bala, North Wales Tragic journey of three fathers

The six Red Caps killed included Sgt Simon Hamilton-Jewell, 41, from Chessington, Surrey; and 30-year-old Cpl Russell Aston from Swadlincote, Derbyshire.

The others were all in their twenties: Cpl Paul Long, 24, of Colchester; L/Cpl Benjamin McGowan Hyde, 23, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire; L/Cpl Tom Keys, 20, from Bala, North Wales; and Cpl Simon Miller, 21, from Tyne and Wear.

Some of the men were on their last day of duty in Iraq and were due to fly home the next day.

It is thought they were attacked during demonstrations against what were regarded by some as heavy-handed weapons searches.

An Army inquiry into the deaths found "no conclusive evidence" that they could have been prevented.

But it did find the men had not received instructions about how much ammunition they should carry and that communications in the area were "poor".

The inquest, in Oxford, is expected to last several weeks.