Yorkshire soldiers killed by bombs seconds apart

Corporal Liam Riley, 21, of 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (3 Yorks), who trained with Prince Harry in Canada in 2007, was killed alongside Lance Corporal Graham Shaw, 27, by two home-made bombs in the Babaji District of Helmand Province.

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

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

The inquest, sitting at Trowbridge Town Hall, heard they were walking across an area of land known as "ANA field" when they stood on two separate improvised explosive devices.

Maj Foinette said 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.

The patrol in ANA field came under heavy fire as attempts were made to recover the two injured soldiers, Maj Foinette said.

Sergeant Adrian Dixon, with 3 Yorks, led 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.

"That's when Liam came round the wall," he said. "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. Dr Nicholas Hunt, Home Office pathologist, gave cause of death for both soldiers as blast injuries.

Prince Harry, who spent 10 weeks on the front line in Afghanistan before being flown home in February 2008, had paid tribute to the men following their deaths.

"I remember Liam Riley so well from the time we spent serving together at the British Army Training Unit at Suffield in Canada," he said.

"He was a legend. A really special man who got us all going and heading in the right direction. It was a privilege to have worked alongside him."

Cpl Riley, from Sheffield, and L/Cpl Shaw, from Huddersfield, were also hailed as heroes by relatives and comrades.

Cpl Riley's relatives said: "Liam was a wonderful son who always wanted to join the Army from being very young. He loved Army-style stories as a little boy.

"When he was old enough to join he took to Army life like a duck to water. He was very conscientious with his Army work and didn't want to disappoint anyone."

L/Cpl Shaw's family said: "He was proud to be a member of the British Army like his father before him.

"He knew the danger that he was to face whilst serving in Afghanistan."