Iraq widow in commander quit call

British tank commander Stephen Allbutt, 35, died along with Trooper David Clarke, 19, on March 25, 2003 near the southern Shatt-al-Basra canal after a troop commander mistook their two Challenger tanks for the enemy and was cleared to open fire.

A coroner hearing the inquest into the death of Cpl Allbutt, a father of two from Stoke-on-Trent, blamed a "catalogue of misunderstandings and failures" for the "completely avoidable tragedy".

Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker said the Army should consider the "fitness to hold command" of the man who is now the Black Watch's commanding officer and who apparently failed to warn his troop commander about the presence of Cpl Allbutt's tanks.

Lieutenant Colonel Lindsay MacDuff, at that time a Major commanding B company first battalion Black Watch, insisted in evidence to the inquest that he told the commander over the radio about the two friendly tanks from the Queen's Royal Lancers. But there is no record of the transmission and his men and fellow officers told the hearing they never received the message.

During the inquest he was accused of lying by lawyer Richard Hermer, acting for the families of both dead men. He told him: "This is not a recollection it is a fabrication."

Mr Walker said in his conclusion: "There may be an innocent explanation for the loss of this radio log. If it had been done (the message passed on) it would have been heard by somebody in that platoon. The centre of this tragedy represents a serious failing and it will fall to others to question the fitness of this officer (Lieutenant Colonel MacDuff) to hold command."

Speaking outside Oxford's Old Assizes where the inquest was held, Cpl Allbutt's widow Debie called for the resignation of Lt Col MacDuff. She said: "Maybe the mothers, fathers, husbands and wives of the soldiers in that regiment should question whether they want this man in charge. I wouldn't.

"I ask for this man's resignation. I hope that the people of the United Kingdom will stand by us and press for further action."

She also attacked the Ministry of Defence for its "gross and severe negligence" and said its lack of co-operation meant that her legal team had "only three weeks to prepare for what has been described as the most important military inquest to take place in the UK". She said it was "shameful" that the MoD have never apologised to her family or to the other men injured in the incident.