March 28, 2003:

Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, 25, of The Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry Regiment, from Windsor, is killed after two American A-10 tankbuster planes attacked his tank convoy twice while they were on a reconnaissance mission near Basra. He was married to Susan and died three days before his 26th birthday. Four colleagues from the Household Cavalry Regiment are also injured.

March 30:

General Richard Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the most senior US military official, apologises on behalf of his troops for the killing of three British soldiers in friendly fire incidents, including Lance Corporal Hull, saying there was "simply no excuse" for his forces to make such fatal mistakes.

Expert View

The A10 Thunderbolt is a highly accurate weapon and it is imperative that its pilots identify targets with 100 per cent conviction

Michael Evans, Defence Editor of The Times

• More

• Post a comment

BACKGROUND

• ‘Friendly-fire’ inquest delay over missing US evidence

• Soldiers ‘tried frantically to stop US fire’

• Tankbusting technology better, but friendly fire deaths will continue

Related Links

• Pentagon backs down on 'friendly fire' video

• Friendly fire killing footage leaked

April 16:

Lance Corporal Hull is buried at a service attended by more than 300 soldiers.

October 31:

Trooper Christopher Finney, 18, is awarded the George Cross, the highest British honour for gallantry, for coming to the rescue of his comrades during the friendly fire incident and saving the life of one colleague – Lance Corporal Andy Tudball - who was trapped and wounded in his tank. Although Trooper Finney tried to also rescue Lance Corporal Hull, he was beaten back by the intense heat and smoke from the vehicle.

Tuesday January 30, 2007:

Inquest opens into the death of Lance Corporal Hull at the Oxford Old Assizes. It is revealed before the inquest begins that Oxfordshire assistant deputy coroner Andrew Walker requested the attendance of American witnesses, but the request was refused.

The inquest hears evidence from Lance Corporal Finney, now 19, of the terrifying moments when the US planes struck.

Corporal Ashley Bell tells the inquest that frantic attempts were made to call off the US planes with smoke identifying the tanks as friendly forces sent up, and tank commanders radioing air controllers to tell them to call the attack off. But they were told the planes were being flown by “rogue” pilots that were working on their own.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Donor organ allowed child’s own heart to heal
• Michael Jackson: Not the final chapter
• Sacha Baron Cohen forced to tone down Brüno