Body of Eastbourne soldier to return to the UK (From The Argus)

Body of Eastbourne soldier to return to the UK

12:10pm Tuesday 29th December 2009 in

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The bodies of three soldiers killed in Afghanistan - two in suspected "friendly fire" incidents - are to be repatriated to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire.

Lance Corporal Michael Pritchard, 22, of the 4th Regiment, Royal Military Police, was killed on December 20 in Sangin by small arms fire.

An MOD spokesman said of L/Cpl Pritchard, of Eastbourne: "The possibility that he died as a result of friendly fire is being investigated in Afghanistan but no firm conclusion will be reached until the coroner's inquest."

His body and those of Lance Corporals Christopher Roney, 23, of 3rd Battalion The Rifles, and Tommy Brown, of the Parachute Regiment, will be flown to RAF Lyneham.

A private ceremony will be held at the base's chapel before the cortege passes through the town of Wootton Bassett.

Crowds are expected to brave the cold weather to pay their now-traditional tribute.

L/Cpl Roney, from Sunderland, died on December 22 of wounds received the previous day in Sangin, Northern Helmand, Afghanistan.

His platoon was working out of Patrol Base Almas, providing "security, reassurance and freedom of movement" for the local population in support of the government of Afghanistan. His death is also being investigated as possibly caused by "friendly fire".

L/Cpl Brown became the fourth British death in four days when he was killed in Afghanistan on December 22. He was hit by a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) while on a foot patrol in central Helmand.

No further details - including his age and address - have been released. It is understood that L/Cpl Brown belonged to the Special Forces Support Group, which was formed in April 2006 to assist the SAS and Special Boat Service on operations.