They all died as heroes

RAF LYNEHAM is grieving today for the forces killed when one of its Hercules transport planes crashed in Iraq.

And the heartache is not confined to the base the entire village is in sombre mood, with thoughts turning to the families left bereaved.

One parish councillor captured the feeling when she said: "Our hearts bleed for the families involved. They were our first thought."

Prime Minister Tony Blair has now confirmed that British lives were lost when the C-130 transport plane crashed 25-miles from Baghdad.

But the Ministry of Defence has not yet revealed how many died in the crash at 2.30pm (British time) yesterday.

The aircraft one of six deployed to Iraq was travelling from Baghdad to Balad, north-west of the capital and home to a large US airbase. Wreckage was spread over a large area.

The disaster came on the first day of the Iraqi elections a historic event Mr Blair said could not have happened without troops such as these.

"Without them there could have been no election," he said.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the soldiers lost.

"They can be so proud of what their loved ones accomplished."

The crash also came days after a US CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter came down over Iraqi desert on Wednesday, killing 31.

The MoD would not be drawn on the cause of the crash, and those involved have not been named.

Speaking last night, the base duty commander, Wing Commander Nigel Arnold, said: "It would be wrong of us, at this stage, to speculate on the cause of the crash, but we can assure you that a thorough investigation will take place."

The RAF base has a special place in the hearts of those living in Lyneham, and residents are proud of the forces based there.

North Wiltshire MP James Gray a former solider has fought hard to support it.

He said: "It's not much consolation for the families but these servicemen died helping to bring democracy to this country.

"However it's still a tragedy."

Mr Gray flew on a Hercules when he visited Basra after the war.

"They have a very good safety record," he said.

"In any conflict they are always the first in and the last to leave."

Parish councillor, Jenny Jardine, said: "Our hearts bleed for the families involved. They were our first thought.

"The whole village will share in the grief.

"It's very much one community the base and the village."

Bulent Pusgul runs the Lyneham Kebab House and has lived in the village for 13 years.

He said: "Everybody knows somebody at the base. People now are just waiting to see."

And Amy Tang, owner of the Kai Tak Chinese Takeaway said: "We always hear about things like this quickly because it's a small community. It will have a very big effect on us all."

Lyneham was devastated when the MoD announced the base was to shut in 2012.

The 50-strong Hercules fleet will move to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

The MoD has a phone number for concerned relatives to call: 08457 800 900.

Aircraft facts

The Hercules, also known as the Fat Albert (after an American comic book character) entered service with the RAF in 1967. It is a 4 engined tactical support aircraft capable of carrying up to 92 ground troops, 64 paratroops, 74 stretcher cases or a variety of vehicles and freight up to 20 tons in weight.

It is a versatile aircraft and is used by more than 60 of the world's air forces.

The first of 25 brand new C-130J Hercules was handed over at Lyneham on November 23 1999. These aircraft equip numbers XXIV and 30 Squadrons. Both squadrons are now operational and carry out wide-ranging tasks throughout the world.

The C-130 is the workhorse of the RAF transport fleet.

It can operate from short, unprepared airstrips, but also possesses the endurance to mount long-range strategic lifts if required.

It is the favoured aircraft of special forces and it has the ability to land in desert conditions.

In Iraq, it is mainly used to ferry up to 50 soldiers at a time from British sector headquarters in Basra to Baghdad.

The minimum crew is five.

Tamash Lal