Inquest for 100th dead serviceman

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/7463555.stm

Version 0 of 1.

An inquest has opened into the death of the 100th British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan.

Pte Daniel Gamble, 22, was killed by a suicide bomber while on a routine patrol in Helmand province, along with two comrades.

He was the last to be certified dead after the attack - bringing the total to 100. Ptes David Murray and Nathan Cuthbertson, both 19, were also killed.

They were all members of the Parachute Regiment, 2nd Battalion.

Pte Gamble, of Uckfield, East Sussex, Pte Murray, of Denton Holme, Carlisle, and Pte Cuthberton, of Tunstall, Sunderland, were carrying out a routine foot patrol on 8 June when they came under attack.

'Improvised bomb'

At the inquest in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, coroner's officer Ken Evill told the court: "The men were subjected to small arms fire and grenade airburst rocket-propelled attack.

"As the patrol manoeuvred to react it is suspected that a suicide-borne improvised explosive device approached them and detonated.Ptes Cuthbertson and Murray were praised for their courage

"As a result the three received fatal injuries."

Pte Cuthbertson was first to be certified dead, followed by Pte Murray and finally Pte Gamble.

Another man was also injured in the blast.

The men's bodies were repatriated to the UK on Monday and taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Coroner David Masters formally opened the inquest and adjourned them to a date to be fixed.

None of the dead men's families were present at the 15-minute hearing.