LONDON, Dec 19: The widow of a British soldier killed in Iraq after being ordered to hand back life-saving body armour on Friday demanded a public apology from Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon.

Mr Hoon came in for criticism last week after a government spending watchdog said British troops went into battle without vital protective equipment because the Ministry of Defence was unable to deliver the kit on time.

Four days after the invasion of Iraq began, Sergeant Steve Roberts, 33, became the first British fatality when he was shot during an attack by Iraqis on March 24.

Fifty-one British troops died during the invasion, according to the defence ministry.

An official report on Thursday said that Sergeant Roberts, who was serving with the Second Royal Tank Regiment near the southern Iraqi town of Al Zubayr, was issued with special armour but was told to hand it back because other troops did not have enough. He was given less effective armour instead.

An investigation by the defence ministry concluded that the better armour would have saved his life.

Samantha, the soldier’s wife, said Mr Hoon told her at a meeting last month that 98 per cent of British equipment had reached Iraq before the start of the invasion.

“That was clearly not the case, or he misled us,” she told BBC radio.

Mr Hoon “pretty much said that it (Roberts’ death) was an isolated incident and there were not major issues with the supply to the troops.

“I want to know exactly what they (the defence ministry) are going to do and to admit that there are major issues with equipment shortages,” said the widow.

Britain’s National Audit Office said last Thursday that insufficient numbers of special flak jackets were distributed to frontline troops, adding that there had been difficulties with distribution. —AFP