RAF names final victims of crash

The Ministry of Defence last night released photos of two more servicemen killed when a Hercules transport plane crashed in Iraq last Sunday, the biggest single loss of life for UK forces during the conflict.

The Ministry of Defence last night released photos of two more servicemen killed when a Hercules transport plane crashed in Iraq last Sunday, the biggest single loss of life for UK forces during the conflict.

Flight Lieutenant Andrew Smith, 25, nicknamed Smudge, was a co-pilot, and Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, 42, or Gary Nic, was a decorated war hero and had two children.

They were among 10 servicemen killed when the RAF plane crashed 25 miles from Baghdad. Lt Smith, from Doncaster, and Hull-born Master Engineer Nicholson were based at RAF Lyneham with 47 Squadron. The other eight were named last week. British investigators have completed work at the crash site, but are unable to confirm what brought the aircraft down.