THE FAMILIES of the 179 servicemen killed in the second Iraq War have launched an online funding appeal to help them take legal action against the people responsible for their deaths.
Headed by Solihull’s Reg Keys and fellow grieving parent Roger Bacon, the Iraq War Families Campaign Group is attempting to raise £150,000 to ‘bring to justice those responsible for the war and the deaths of our loved ones’.
The campaign – mainly aimed at bringing former Prime Minister Tony Blair to justice for his role in the war and the death of the servicemen – has already raised over £99,000 and has seen donations from over 3,300 people and counting.
Launching the campaign Reg and Roger said: “Before Matthew, Tom, and so many of their fellow servicemen and women died, we knew the risks all British military personnel assume when serving Queen and country.
“However, the long-awaited Iraq Inquiry (Chilcot) Report has confirmed that there were serious failings in the lead-up to, planning and conduct of the War, which led to so many unnecessary deaths.
“Our armed forces must never again be so callously sacrificed by political ambition and the irresponsibility and failings of Government and Whitehall.
“Those responsible should be held to account.
“Now it is down to us, the families, to ensure that justice is done.
“Not only for the sake of our children, siblings, parents and spouses, whose lives we can never get back, but to deter our state officials from ever again abusing their positions with such tragic and far-reaching consequences.”
Former Arden School pupil Tom Keys was killed in a hail of bullets by an Iraqi mob just days before his 21st birthday in 2003.
Left – Matthew Bacon and Tom Keys.Left – Matthew Bacon and Tom Keys.
He and his fellow soldiers were sent to a known danger zone with very little in the way of ammunition and no form of communication to call for help and or back-up.
His dad Reg has waged his own war against Tony Blair, having spent the years since Tom’s death fighting for justice and calling for Mr Blair to be held liable for his son’s death and to apologise for it.
He even stood against him in the 2005 General Election and has just this year been the subject of a BBC drama about this campaign starring Tim Roth and Anna Maxwell-Martin.
If you would like to donate to the campaign visit: www.crowdjustice.co.uk/case/chilcot
