Soldiers killed when learner crashed

A 22-year-old Kidderminster soldier and two comrades were killed when a Land Rover with an unqualified Army driver at the wheel crashed in Germany, an inquest heard today.

The vehicle carriered into a ditch in Guterfloh where 22 Regiment of the Royal Artillery which they served with was based.

Kenneth Laga, pictured, whose family were living at the time in Bewdley Hill died soon afterwards from his injuries in hospital.

Army collegues Craig Smith and Craig Atkinson were also killed in the smash in August 31 2005. The soldier at the wheel of the army Land Rover had only passed a theory test for driving in Germany at the 11th attempt, the inquest at Dudley heard.

It was the second tragedy for the Laga family with two sons dying at a young age and in the same year.

Kenneth was completing training in the Royal Artillery when Leon, aged 24, died on January 15 2005 after being found dead on the steps of Kidderminster police station after taking a small overdose. Only a few months later Kenneth was killed in Germany.

Kenneth joined his local Territorial Army in 2001 and served four years, with the Worcester and Sherwood Foresters. In November 2003 they deployed to Iraq on Op Telic 3, where he spent six months.

He could not have his first or second choice of career as during the medical it was discovered that he had a degree of colour blindness, he then enlisted into the Royal Artillery.

Despite losing his brother while training Kenneth passed out at Pirbright in March 2005. Kenneth then spent a short time at Larkhill before being posted to 26 Regiment, Gutersloh, Germany.

His mother Elaine says on a memorial website to Kenneth: "He was only back 10 days when along with two other soldiers he was en-route to another barracks, when the driver of the Land Rover wolf totally lost control of the vehicle and smashed into a tree, killing all his three passengers.

"To this day I find it hard to believe how on a glorious summer's morning, on a beautiful rural road it could have happened."

Captain Robin Attwood, permanent staff administrative officer at the Shrubbery TA centre in Kidderminster, where he worked with Kenneth Laga, described him as a smashing bloke, who was well-respected.

"His death has hit us all hard," he said. "He was a lovely guy, a really smashing bloke and the sort of person you wanted alongside you when the going gets rough. He did an operational tour of Iraq with us and did a very good job and had outstanding reports."

"He also had good reports when he joined the regulars and we have no doubt that he would have made an outstanding soldier."