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Samantha Roberts says she wants him to take responsibility for what happened.
There's been a huge response from other front line troops after Channel Four News broadcast tapes of Sergeant Roberts diary - here's our chief news correspondent Alex Thomson:
Well today the Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon did express sympathy for the death of Sergeant Steven Roberts, whose audio diaries were played on Channel 4 News.
But his widow says that's not nearly enough -- its about responsibility, not sympathy. And her stand has provoked a wave of emails from you -- it's clear that shortage of body armour in Iraq was far from the only problem.
This, from Bob, Armoured Engineer Squadron:
"We crossed the Iraqi border on April 1 with no body armour, no morphine, no radios, in soft skinned landrovers, and, not one round of ammunition between us. We put empty magazines on our weapons for appearances sake only."
The Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has insisted troops had all they needed in the theatre of war. But the critical phrase there is right equipment "in theatre." That's not the same as right equipment where soldiers needed it -- I spoke to David Curtin for instance, a territorial who emailed us, saying:
From - David Curtin, Para Medical Squadron:
"I resigned from the TA in disgust at the experience, the turn of phrase used "you will get it in theatre". I would not only like to see Geoff Hoon but also some heads in the MOD."
David told me that two nights before the war began they drove in despair to Kuwait docks only to be told yes - the equipment they needed was there and no they could not release it.
Rear echelon troops suddenly found protective equipment was taken for those at the front -- only to find they themselves were suddenly sent forward.
Pte James Flannery emailed saying:
"Within 48 hours I was ordered into Iraq. We had to demand our armour back. Some were lucky, some received kit back without the kevlar plates that are necessary."
Capt Qaranc, Field Ambulance Unit got in touch:
"We were asked to hand over ...our personal protection jackets and plates. Being a mother of two children the day sticks in my memory as being a very crucial matter to my safety."
You sent plenty of stories about how soldiers were forced to buy kit in Britain before even getting to Iraq -- though it's fair to say soldiers have done that in many previous wars.
But even after the fighting began, relatives back home - parents, brothers, sisters - had to keep sending supplies
This, from WS Manley, parent:
"We had to send toilet rolls every day. they had no desert combat uniform or boots... The NBC suits didn't fit properly and the respirators were out of date so before the start of the war they just redated it."
Ultimately, the invasion of Iraq was an American war: American leaders fighting to an American timetable with the subordinate Brits forced by their politicians to keep up -- it's becoming clear only now that not all the equipment kept up with the soldiers, possibly with fatal results.
KIT SHORTAGE EMAILS
It seems there may be many soldiers besides Steven Roberts who were exposed to danger because they didn't have basic equipment. Something that could cost Mr Hoon his job.
Since last night's programme, emails have been pouring in to Channel 4 News. Here is a selection:
Cathy Gray, whose husband served in Basra last year, wrote: "...he has stressed emphatically how the army DID NOT provide adequate kit. My husband also did not have body plates issued and was told to get on with the job."
Andy Fuller's stepdaughter is currently serving in southern Iraq. He says: "My stepdaughter, although under missile attack, gave up her body armour for it to be sent forward. She bought her own boots and other equipment... The troops cannot speak out for fear of reprisal."
Several soldiers complained they had to spend hundreds of pounds buying their own kit. One, who didn't want to be named, wrote: "I bought for my self, amongst other things, desert combats and desert boots...Approximately 20 of my TA unit were serving and most of us spent between £300 and £500."
Most of our emails came in anonymously, as servicemen can face disciplinary procedures if they talk to the media.
Here are a selection of anonymous accounts of kit shortages:
I served on Op Telic around the Az Zubayr and Basra area. My unit sent us forward without plates, limited ammunition, we had to resupply our particular requirements by scavenging from a local facility.
My husband (ex 1 Para) served as a reservist combat medic along side 3 Para in Basra,Iraq last year. Every day since the day he returned he has stressed emphatically how the army DID NOT provide adequate kit. My husband also did not have body plates issued and was told to get on with the job. I had to send him a pair of his boots to Kuwait as his army issued boots were falling apart (this occurred before the conflict started). We empathise with Samantha Roberts and my husband knows what her husband said on the tapes is absolutely true and is only the tip of the iceberg.
I work in the logistic chain and was helping to equip sodliers before deployment to Iraq. Short supplies of clothing, especially boots were a problem. The biggest anomally was that the MoD extended the shelf life of certain "Personnel Protective Equipment" (PPE) to sustain the ammount of units requested of said equipment. The MoD supply chain even issues PPE that was made in the early 70s. I felt disheartened but when I questioned the HQ in charge of the operation, saying that I haven't any equipment to issue, I was told "Unfortunately all the equipment has been sent to the operational theatre," so the personell will be issued it there." I also heard from personnel returning after a few months that they had a problem locating a unit who would issue them any equipment. Weapons got lost in the RAF airhead, and we had personnel moving around theatre without weapons because they were missing due to the logisitcal chain.
I thought you would like to hear about this! recently my unit has undertaken a military exercise in batus Canada. this is in preparation for the forthcoming military operation in iraq. during the training in Canada the unit had undergone live firing lasting approx a week. we were issued the vests for the protection against live rounds being fired, sometimes at very close range to the other person or persons. however we were not issued the armored plating that goes in the back and front of the vest, because the unit had ordered the wrong plates for the body Armour, so we were told to go live firing without the plates, consequently this could have resulted in a serious accident with very high possibilities to loss of life.
I served in the first Gulf War. I was an Officer with the 17th/21st Lancers although attached to the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars, and a Troop Leader in A Squadron. Shortly before the ground war started, a similar event occured in that we were asked to hand over our flak jackets as well. I seem to remember that the driver and operator kept theirs as they were deemed to be in more dangerous positions, but I distinctly remember that I had to give up my jacket, again as the infantry did not have sufficient supplies.
I was in the first Gulf War, I was with 205 General Hospital in Riyadh. To say the lack of kit was a joke, We arrived on the morning of the 16th January 1991, the war started, we were rushed to find our hospital with all of about 20 beds set up (there should have been over 500 beds) the drugs we did have were out of date some by anything from 3 months to over 2 years! the stocks that we had was beyond a joke.
I too have had my son,who is serving in Basra, complain of no desert uniform issued,no desert boots issued,and talk at one time of issuing artic kit as white was deemed to be closer to sand colour than dark green! I only wish I was joking, but sadly I am not. And by the way I am not talking about someone in the T.A. I am talking about a member of the R.A.F Regiment,a front line field unit.
I worked in the Combined Air Ops Centre (in Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and then Al Udeid, Qatar) as an ops officer between Dec 2002 and Jun 2003. In early Mar 2003, I was asked to return all my desert kit to suppliers as they had insufficient kit to hand out the the troops (we were wearing flying clothing). When I tried to do so, I was told that there was no way that the suppliers could move the eqpt forward in time, so I held onto it. There were definite and known personal epqt shortages across the British Forces in the Gulf.
Although i was not deployed to Iraq, having been out to the Gulf region a few times, myself and others have suffered lack of even the basic protective equipment i.e In Kuwait goggles, protective head gear even cold water when on lengthy off base patrols, the sun glasses we were issued were grinding type glasses and it even said on the packet " not to be used as UV protection. In Oman an Exercise that was a long time in planning we were short of basic kit, at camp south, one of the holding bases we were short of toilet roll which wasn't nice considering most of the people there came down with some sort of stomach complaint due to lack of hygiene facilities, when we moved up north to a Afaar FOB we almost ran out of water so it had to be rationed and thats hot water because there was no cooling facility for the drinking water.
My son, a TA member, was in Basra at the start of the war and did not have proper equipment - no desert combats, or boots; a body armour which did not fit properly and no ammunition until 2 days after the war started, and we had to send him extra socks. He had taken extra clothing out with him [at his own expense] - we were always being told via news bulletins that there was no shortage of equipment. Who was telling the lies????
I left the army in 1989, and so was fortunate to not be involved in the first Iraq war, but as a soldier I can relate to some of what Steve Roberts mentioned on his tapes. From my personal experience I can say that a lot of soldiers in my unit were less than happy about weapons and kit we had. You had little choice in in what was issued to you, especially as a private soldier. We did have some items of kit that was new, but we also had to be content with kit that had been handed down from soldier to soldier over the years, damaged well worn and sometimes ill-fitting. It is said that an army marches on its stomach but I have known soldiers to go without food for a considerable length of time; this coupled with lack of sleep, left soldiers feeling demotivated and totally demoralised. Trying to get kit from the Quartermaster stores was like trying to get blood out of a stone. This was not the fault of the NCO responsible for issuing kit, he had no choice but to make sure that anything issued was of an absolute necessity because the stores were usually depleted.
My husband served in the Gulf as part of Operation Telic from February - July 2003, attached to field hospital 202. On his arrival, he lacked the following equipment; goggles, desert hat, boots and more importantly he did not have body armour (breast plates) which was an essential requirement as he was a driver and always on the road. His boots were supplied by a newspaper campaign.
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