When Sgt Steven Roberts went to do his duty as part of the British Armed Forces in Iraq early this year, his wife Samantha no doubt feared for her husband's safety, but like other wives and partners had faith that the Government would do their utmost to protect our soldiers in the field.

Mrs Roberts is now a widow after her husband became the first British soldier to die in combat in Iraq on the third day of the war back in March. Also gone is her faith in the fact that the British Army, respected and admired the world over for generations, would never go into battle ill-equipped and badly prepared.

The Ministry of Defence inquiry into Sgt Roberts' death must today make devastating reading for Mrs Roberts and all the other people in this country who lost family during the Iraq war.

The report reveals that Sgt Roberts had been ordered to hand back body armour, which would undoubtedly have saved his life, because of equipment shortages. Insufficient flak jackets had been distributed throughout the armed forces serving in Iraq.

Sgt Roberts was undoubtedly a brave soldier. He would have known very acutely the danger he faced in going to Iraq. But he would not have expected to have been let down by the Government in this way.

Samantha Roberts and anyone else who lost a member of their family in Iraq due to this disgraceful state of affairs have every right to be furious that their loved ones were sent into battle with such shortages in vital equipment, and the least they can expect is a public apology and the promise that the government will take urgent action to ensure this will never happen again.