Des James and Reg Keys met for the first time on Friday

Des James and Reg Keys have accused Mr Hoon of failing to provide proper explanations how the deaths occurred.

Des James' daughter Cheryl died from gunshot wounds at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey in November 1995.

Reg Keys' son Lance Corporal Thomas Keys died with his five colleagues in a mob ambush in Iraq in June 2003.

Mr Keys is seeking answers on why the men died while manning a police station north of Basra.

He said that meeting Mr James was an inspiration for his campaign.

"To have somebody come now from a different angle, who has already trod this tragic path, it is very supportive and it encourages me to carry on," he said.

Cheryl James and Thomas Keys both died in the Army

"Mr James is a fine example of tenacity and I intend to follow his example."

The Ministry of Defence claims it has improved communications with bereaved families.

In May, Mr Hoon wrote a formal apology, expressing regret for the way the Ministry of Defence handled its relationship with the families of four soldiers who died at Deepcut army barracks between 1995 and 2002.

Despite a police investigation into their deaths, their families still do not feel they know the truth about what happened.

Cheryl James' father Des said he has lost faith in Mr Hoon, after sending the minister a list of 17 questions about his daughter's death.

"He refuses to answer them," he said.

"How can we possibly have any faith in a minister who acts in that way?"

The three other soldiers to die at the Royal Logistics Corps HQ were Geoff Gray, 17, from Durham, Sean Benton, 20, from Hastings, East Sussex, and James Collinson, 17, from Perth.

Mr James and Mr Keys have vowed not to walk away from their fight.

"We call on Mr Hoon to seriously reconsider the decisions he has made in relation to these deaths," they said in a joint statement.

"If then he persists in denying us the opportunity of an appropriate independent inquiry, we recommend he reconsider his position as Secretary of State."