Soldiers died in shambolic exercise

The families of two soldiers killed during a training exercise yesterday attacked the "Dad's Army" shambles they say contributed to the tragedy. They also criticised the inquest verdicts of accidental death on Corporal Robert Hawksley, 29, of Toton, near Nottingham and Corporal Martin Bailey, 25, of Sidmouth, Devon.

The two-day hearing, at Derby University courtroom, heard how a series of misunderstandings led to the trench containing the two men taking a direct hit from a 95lb shell. They died almost immediately from injuries received in the June 1994 blast at the British Army Training Unit Suffield in Alberta, Canada.