:: See Also » | UK soldiers killed by 'friendly fire'
A 'friendly fire' incident has claimed the lives of two UK soldiers during fierce fighting outside the southern Iraqi city of Basra.
Staffordshire soldiers killed by 'friendly fire'
Three servicemen from Staffordshire have died in "friendly fire" in Iraq. Corporal Stephen Allbutt, was from Stoke-on-Trent, Trooper David Clarke was from Stafford; and Flight Lieutenant Kevin Main was from Burntwood.
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Corporal Allbutt Funeral
Friday May 2nd
More than 100 veterans joined joined family and friends to honour a soldier killed by "friendly fire" in Iraq.
The funeral service for Corporal Stephen Allbutt, was held at Holy Trinity Church in Meir.
Corporal Allbutt, who was 35 and from Sneyd Green, died in a so-called friendly-fire incident near Basra in March.
Civic dignitaries joined his family and friends at the church, along with members of the Queen's Royal Lancers - whose commanding officer Colonel Charles Fattorini paid this tribute to Corporal Allbutt:
Colonel Fattorini pays tribute to the professionalism of Corporal Stephen Allbutt...
Click here to listen to the audio
Colonel Fattorini talks about Corporal Stephen Allbutt's passion for Stoke City...
Click here to listen to the audio
For a full account of the funeral - see BBC News
See tributes to Corporal Allbutt
Trooper Clarke Funeral
Thursday May 1st
Nineteen year old Trooper David Clarke from Littleworth, near Stafford, was killed in a friendly fire incident near Basra during the Iraq War.
After a cortege procession through Stafford, the funeral service took place at the town's St Mary's Church.
For a full account of the funeral - see BBC News
To see photos of the service - click here
Service order
The hymn The Lord's My Shepherd preceded a Bible reading from St John's Gospel, 5: 21-27, read by Revd Pat Hawkins, Curate of St Mary's, Stafford.
The Revd Prebendary Roger Vaughan, Rector of St John the Baptist Church, Littleworth, delivered a sermon, before Revd Elaine Evans led further prayers and the commanding officer of his regiment, Colonel Charles Fatterini, delivered a tribute.
The Commendation, Last Post, a silence and the Reveille followed.
Tributes to David Clarke
Family, friends, comrades and politicians paid tribute to Stafford soldier David Clarke, who died in a friendly fire incident near Basra.
 | | Trooper David Clarke |
Trooper David Clarke, 19, of Bedworth Avenue, Littleworth in Stafford who was engaged to his childhood sweetheart, Rachel Furniss, is thought to be the youngest British soldier to lose his life in the conflict.
The former Weston Road High School pupil died after his tank was fired on by members of the Black Watch regiment near a bridge in Basra.
 | | Corporal Stephen Allbutt |
Crew members from the Black Watch battle group fired on the vehicle while engaging pockets of Iraqi soldiers and militia near a bridge over the Qanat Shatt Al Basrah canal running along the western edge of the city when the incident occurred.
Another Staffordshire soldier, Corporal Stephen John Allbutt, 35, from Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, was also killed.
A father's tears
David's father Jeffrey Clarke spoke tearfully about his son:
 I am so proud of him, he had always wanted to be in the army. He was a tank driver, and he loved his job. He'd been in the army nearly three years. He'd already done a tour of Kosovo and was based at Osnabruck in Germany.  | Jeffrey Clarke
(David Clarke's father) |
Mr Clarke said that he was initially too shocked to take in the circumstances of the incident that had robbed him of his eldest child:
| I don't feel angry I just feel numb. The last time I spoke to him was eight days ago. He said to me 'it looks like we are going in now'. He was looking forward to it. There had been a lot of hanging around up to that point. He had been busying himself getting his tank ready. | Jeffrey Clarke
(David Clarke's father) |
Marriage plans
David's fiancee Rachel, 18, of Great Haywood, Stafford, who he met seven years ago added:
| In his letters he wrote: 'if anything happens remember I love you and all the family'. We were planning to get married next year. | Rachel Furniss
(David's fiancée) |
School sadness for Trooper Clarke
He was a former pupil of Weston Road High School in Stafford and left at the age of 16 in 1999. Headteacher Geoffrey Cooper said staff were very sad to hear the news.
He said he joined the school in 1997 after a few years at Rising Brook High School in Stafford. Before that he attended Silkmore Primary School.
We were told by the family David had died.
Staff are obviously very sad he has being killed, particularly in this kind of way. They feel for his family.
David was a very likeable lad, cheerful and a caring sort of boy. Most staff I have spoken to remember him with fondness.
He always wanted to go onto the Forces, and it was what he aimed for at school | Geoffrey Cooper
(David's Headteacher) |
Mr Cooper added the soldier's younger brother Paul was a pupil at the school in Year 10. He said the school had not yet decided how they were going to pay tribute to the former pupil, but would do something.
Neighbours pay tribute
Neighbour Cynthia Roberts said her daughter Lisa knew Trooper Clarke and had been saddened by the news. She said:
It is horrible because you don't think it is going to come to your town.
It is very sad. | Cynthia Roberts
(Neighbour) |
MPs pay tribute
Prime Minister Tony Blair promised the "fullest possible" inquiry into the deaths of the two "immensely brave" British soldiers killed by friendly fire. Mr Blair told Stoke-on-Trent North Labour MP Joan Walley:
I think the whole town will be shocked and saddened by this first news of the death of a Stafford resident.
Personally I would like to say the courage of people like David are a model for us and we have had a lot of pride in what he did. | Tony Blair
(Prime Minister) |
Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon expressed regret over the "tragic" deaths of the two British soldiers while Stafford MP David Kidney spoke of the courage of David:
I think the whole town will be shocked and saddened by this first news of the death of a Stafford resident.
Personally I would like to say the courage of people like David are a model for us and we have had a lot of pride in what he did. | David Kidney
(Stafford MP) |
Littleworth ward councillor Judy Walker said she did not know the family, but wanted to pass on her condolences.
Comrades pay tribute
The soldiers' unit is now based in Basra helping protect British forces distributing aid to the liberated Iraqi people. Cpl Phillip Burgess, of Stafford, said:
Our thoughts are with David and Stephen's families after such a tragic loss.
They were great people to be with and as a unit we were all very close.
We miss them very much both as part of the unit and as friends. It's deeply affected us all. | | Corporal Phillip Burgess |
Father-of-two Cpl Burgess, 28, was speaking at an aid distribution point where 40,000 litres of drinking water were being handed out to Basrans yesterday. He said:
A large part of our role at the moment is guarding the local power station to prevent it being looted.
Engineers are trying to get it working so that power can return to the region.
If it does, there's a water purification plant nearby which will make things a lot easier for the local population. | | Corporal Phillip Burgess |
Cpl Burgess is a loader in one of the 70-tonne tanks of C Squadron, 21st Lancers, Queen's Royal Lancers, which recruits throughout the Staffordshire area.
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