'Conscientious objectors' denied

'Conscientious objectors' denied

The soldiers came home before the fighting started in Iraq

An army commander has denied any of his troops have expressed a wish to be conscientious objectors.

Solicitors said two members of 16 Air Assault Brigade based in Colchester, Essex, have returned from the Gulf after refusing to fight in a war involving the death of civilians.

But on Wednesday, Colonel Tony Barton, commander of the garrison, said: "As far as I am aware, there is no one in 16 Brigade who has requested to be considered a conscientious objector and removed from theatre."

Colonel Barton said this had also been confirmed to him by garrison staff who deal with disciplinary issues.

Speaking at a briefing at the garrison, he said: "We have had a number of soldiers here in 16 Brigade that have been sent back for a variety of reasons, some of those medical, some compassionate."

It's just an awful situation for the families to be in

Colonel Tony Barton on deaths of two soldiers

It has been claimed the private and air technician from 16 Air Assault Brigade were sent back to their barracks.

Colonel Barton made his comments following one of his weekly war briefings with Army families at Colchester.

He also holds weekly briefings at Wattisham Airfield, near Stowmarket, Suffolk, and Carver Barracks, Wimbish, Essex, where he is also garrison commander.

Colonel Barton refused to be drawn on how two British soldiers based at Carver Barracks had died.

Sapper Luke Allsopp, 24, from north London, and Staff Sergeant Simon Cullingworth, 36, from Essex, were caught up in enemy fire near Basra, and were last seen on 23 March.

The bodies of what were said to be two dead British servicemen near their upturned Land Rover were shown on television by the Qatar-based satellite broadcaster al-Jazeera.

'Killed in action'

After the television coverage, Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed they had been executed.

The family of Sapper Allsopp has disputed this, saying they had been told he died instantly in battle.

Col Barton said: "The commanding officers told the families that those soldiers were unfortunately killed in action."

He said any other information was "mere speculation".

He added: "The bodies have not been returned to the UK. It's just an awful situation for the families to be in."