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| MoD to announce Deepcut closure | MoD to announce Deepcut closure |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The closure of Surrey's Deepcut army barracks is to be announced later by the Ministry of Defence. | The closure of Surrey's Deepcut army barracks is to be announced later by the Ministry of Defence. |
| The training base near Camberley, where four young soldiers died in separate shooting incidents between 1995 and 2002, is to be sold off. | The training base near Camberley, where four young soldiers died in separate shooting incidents between 1995 and 2002, is to be sold off. |
| The MoD will make a statement to MPs in the Commons later about the closure, which is not expected for five years. | The MoD will make a statement to MPs in the Commons later about the closure, which is not expected for five years. |
| Defence chiefs say the move has nothing to do with the deaths at the base but is part of a review of training. | Defence chiefs say the move has nothing to do with the deaths at the base but is part of a review of training. |
| Accommodation remains | Accommodation remains |
| The MoD's Defence Training Review aims to overhaul training facilities across the country by concentrating expertise at fewer sites. | The MoD's Defence Training Review aims to overhaul training facilities across the country by concentrating expertise at fewer sites. |
| It says keeping Deepcut's main facility, the Princes Royal Barracks, open beyond 2013 would not represent value for money. | It says keeping Deepcut's main facility, the Princes Royal Barracks, open beyond 2013 would not represent value for money. |
| However, the base, the main training centre for the Royal Logistics Corps, will not close fully, with family accommodation expected to remain at the site after the training barracks has been demolished. | However, the base, the main training centre for the Royal Logistics Corps, will not close fully, with family accommodation expected to remain at the site after the training barracks has been demolished. |
| Four soldiers died at Deepcut barracks from gunshot wounds | Four soldiers died at Deepcut barracks from gunshot wounds |
| Earlier this week the father of one of the four recruits who died at Deepcut expressed his sadness at reports the barracks was to be replaced by housing. | Earlier this week the father of one of the four recruits who died at Deepcut expressed his sadness at reports the barracks was to be replaced by housing. |
| Geoff Gray, whose 17-year-old son, Pte Geoff Gray, died in 2001, said an "awful lot of work" had been done at the facility and that it was now "probably one of the best training establishments in the country". | Geoff Gray, whose 17-year-old son, Pte Geoff Gray, died in 2001, said an "awful lot of work" had been done at the facility and that it was now "probably one of the best training establishments in the country". |
| Along with Pte Gray, of Seaham, Co Durham, Sean Benton, 20, of Hastings, East Sussex, James Collinson, 17, of Perth, and Cheryl James, 18, Llangollen, Denbighshire, all died of bullet wounds at the training base in separate shooting incidents between 1995 and 2002. | Along with Pte Gray, of Seaham, Co Durham, Sean Benton, 20, of Hastings, East Sussex, James Collinson, 17, of Perth, and Cheryl James, 18, Llangollen, Denbighshire, all died of bullet wounds at the training base in separate shooting incidents between 1995 and 2002. |
| Inquests into the deaths recorded a verdict of suicide in Pte Benton's case and open verdicts for the other three. | Inquests into the deaths recorded a verdict of suicide in Pte Benton's case and open verdicts for the other three. |
| 'Meaningful inquiry' | |
| Des James, the father of Cheryl James, told the BBC he had "no interest" in the closure of Deepcut. | |
| "It's not for me to challenge any judgement that the MoD or the government may make over the defence of this country. | |
| "We are not, any of the families for that matter, anti-military. What I am objecting to is that the camp should be flattened before any meaningful inquiry has taken place. | |
| "Obviously that would conflict and be a big problem for an inquiry." | |
| An independent review of the deaths, conducted by Nicholas Blake QC, concluded in March 2006 that the deaths probably were self-inflicted. | |
| However, Mr Blake criticised army training, citing "harassment, discrimination and oppressive behaviour". | |
| The families of the four soldiers have maintained their calls for a public inquiry. | The families of the four soldiers have maintained their calls for a public inquiry. |