How two Yorkshire soldiers died in Afghan blasts just seconds apart

Corporal Liam Riley, 21, from Sheffield, of 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (3 Yorks), was killed alongside Lance Corporal Graham Shaw, 27, from Huddersfield, by two home-made bombs in the Babaji District, Helmand Province. Following their deaths, Prince Harry paid tribute to Cpl Riley, with whom he served at a military training unit in Canada in 2007.

Coroner David Ridley recorded a verdict of unlawful killing for both soldiers at Wiltshire Coroner's Court.

Major Charles Foinette, with 1 Coldstream Guards, told the inquest the soldiers were on a "ground domination and assurance" patrol around checkpoint Kingshill on February 1.

The inquest, sitting at Trowbridge Town Hall, heard the men were walking across an area of land known as "ANA field" when they stood on two separate improvised explosive devices (IEDs) shortly after 11.30am.

Maj Foinette told the inquest that he was in the operation room in Patrol Base 1, north of the checkpoint, when he heard a first explosion, followed by gunfire, followed by the second explosion. The patrol in ANA field came under heavy fire as attempts were made to recover the bodies of the two injured soldiers, Maj Foinette said.

Sergeant Adrian Dixon, with 3 Yorks, was leading the patrol that day. He told the inquest: "I noticed children playing in the nearby field had disappeared. I turned around and then heard the first explosion followed by heavy gunfire. Everyone hit the floor and started returning fire. I started shouting 'is everyone ok?"'

Sgt Dixon was told there was a man down - L/Cpl Shaw - who was suspected to be dead. He went on: "That's when Liam came round the wall. He was told to stop and not take another step. There was a lot of gunfire, it was very confusing.

"Liam was there, weapon in hand, ready to go - that's the kind of guy he was, he was ready to get in there and get some. As he came round and his left foot hit the floor, the ground erupted. At that point I couldn't see where he landed, there was a cloud of dust."

Cpl Riley was airlifted from the scene by helicopter but was confirmed dead at Camp Bastion field hospital later that day. L/Cpl Shaw was confirmed dead at the scene so was not airlifted immediately, the inquest heard. His body was brought back to Patrol Base 1 while the group waited for a second flight.