SOLDIERS at Hereford's SAS base are privately mourning the death of a colleague in the Hercules plane crash in the Iraqi desert.

Acting Lance Corporal Steven Jones, who was aged 25, was the only soldier on board. He lost his life with nine other servicemen, all believed to be in the RAF.

L/Cpl Jones, a signaller, was a member of the Royal Signals Regiment, but had more recently been with the SAS at its HQ at Credenhill.

The young soldier, who was not married, came from Fareham, Hampshire, and his family will make a decision about funeral arrangements in due course.

It is understood that none of the 10 bodies have yet been recovered from the scene of the crash, where the wreckage is spread over a wide area of marshy desert.

As well as mourning for L/Cpl Jones, the SAS has also been shocked by the death of the whole RAF Hercules crew from 47 Air Despatch Squadron, based at Lyneham in Wiltshire.

Hercules aircraft, often seen flying over Herefordshire, play a major role in the work of the SAS and the crew of the fated transport plane had a reputation for being able to deliver anything, anywhere in the world.

They are known to have been used to working with Special Forces, including the SAS.

In recent years, a Hercules aircraft has nearly always been used in a fly past over St Martin's Church in Hereford as a mark of respect following the funeral service of a member of the SAS.

Stories that the Hercules, which crashed 25 miles north west of Baghdad last Sunday, was brought down by rocket fire by militants, or that it was blown up by a bomb on board have been dismissed by the Ministry of Defence as speculation.

An official investigation is being carried out to investigate the cause of the crash of the Hercules.