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The family of a young father killed in Afghanistan has written a letter blaming the Prime Minister.
Serjeant Paul McAleese died on 20 August when a bomb went off as he rushed to help a comrade dying from injuries sustained in an earlier blast.
His father-in-law, Stephen Minter, wrote in a letter to Gordon Brown: "Because of you I now have a 26-year-old daughter with no husband and a five-month-old grandson with no father."
His bitter criticism came on the day that the bodies of two more soldiers were being returned to Britain.
Corporal John Harrison, 29, was the special forces paratrooper who died rescuing a kidnapped journalist. Kingsman Jason Dunn-Bridgeman, 20, of 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, died in a firefight in the Babaji district of Helmand province on Sunday. Crowds were expected to line the streets of Wootton Bassett as the coffins drive through. It has emerged that the Queen is supporting a call to rename the patriotic village Royal Wooton Basset in gratitude for the way it honours the war dead.
Two more soldiers killed in the conflict were due to be named this evening.
Mr Minter's letter said the family was "extremely angry" because Sjt McAleese's death was "needless and avoidable".
He urged Mr Brown to accept responsibility for the deployment of British troops and criticised alleged shortages of equipment.
Sjt McAleese, who served with 2nd Battalion the Rifles, was the son of John McAleese, an SAS hero who took part in the dramatic raid to rescue hostages and end a siege of the Iranian Embassy in London in 1980.
He told Mr Minter earlier this year there were no armoured vehicles at forward operation base Wishtan and helicopters were not widely available. He also said that insurgents had obtained metal detectors identical to those used by British troops, so could plant bombs which were virtually undetectable to British soldiers.
Sjt McAleese, whose son Charley was born just a week before his deployment to Afghanistan, went home to his wife Jo for a week in July.
Mr Minter called on Mr Brown to ensure that troops had "the best equipment available".
"Failing to ensure this will be seen as an act of neglect and should not be allowed to go unanswered," he wrote.
Wootton Bassett salutes two heroes
Family and friends of the special forces paratrooper killed in the rescue of a kidnapped journalist joined crowds lining the streets of Wootton Bassett in tribute today.
The body of Corporal John Harrison, 29, of 1 Para, was flown to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire this morning, alongside that of Kingsman Jason Dunn-Bridgeman, 20, who died in a firefight in Helmand province on Sunday.
Hearses carrying their Union flag-draped coffins passed along Wootton Bassett high street, lined with people.
Nephews, cousins and friends of the men gathered by the side of the road, holding roses in simple tribute as the small town once again fell silent.
Reader views (2)
Yes Annie, thanks for that pearl of wisdom.
However, Gordon did and still does under fund and under equip those boys yet expects them to die for him/us. That is tantamount to treason.
- John C, Salisbury, 18/09/2009 09:13
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I don't remember Gordon Brown introducing conscription, thus forcing them to join the army.
- Annie, London UK, 17/09/2009 13:19
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