February

From the The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, first published Tuesday 3rd Jan 2006.

THERE was more tragedy in February when the bodies of ten airmen who had died when their Hercules aircraft crashed in Iraq were brought back to RAF Lyneham.

Eight of those killed had come from the Wiltshire base and the whole village was devastated by the loss.

Hundreds of floral tributes were left at the gates to the base and Princess Anne was among the dignitaries who visited the base to pay their respects during those dark days.

The widows and other family members later had to go through the gruelling ordeal of inquest hearings. But a report published at the end of the year said the crew could have done nothing to stop the crash.

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