British troops will attend funeral

Uniformed British solders will attend next week's funeral of Lance Cpl Ian Malone, who was killed in Iraq earlier this month, but his coffin will not be draped in the Union Jack.

The Government has acceded to a request from the British embassy in Dublin for a party of uniformed comrades of Lance Cpl Malone from the Irish Guards to attend the funeral in Dublin on Thursday.

Under the Defence Act, the Government's permission is required before soldiers in foreign armies are allowed to wear their uniforms on Irish soil.

On its return from Iraq last week to the RAF base at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, Lance Cpl Malone's coffin was draped in the Union Jack. However, family sources indicated yesterday that the 28-year-old Dubliner would not be buried under the British flag.

At present, there are no plans to use a flag during the ceremony. However, it is still thought possible that the coffin may be draped with Mr Malone's regimental flag.

The agreement to allow uniformed British soldiers attend the funeral follows what one source called "delicate discussions" between the military attaché at the British embassy and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Malone's coffin will be carried by a seven-man bearer party made up of his former colleagues, who will be accompanied by a British army chaplain.

An Irish Guards piper will play at the graveside.

Uniformed members of the FCA will also attend the funeral. Lance Cpl Malone was a member of the FCA's 20th Infantry Battalion for four years.

The Government and the President will not be represented at the funeral, which is private.

Mr Malone's body is expected to be returned to Ireland on Tuesday. The removal takes place at 5 p.m. to Our Lady of Assumption Catholic church near his home in Ballyfermot.

The funeral takes place after 11 a.m. Mass on Thursday.

Lance Cpl Malone was killed by sniper fire near Basra in southern Iraq on April 6th.

Last November, he featured in an RTÉ documentary about Irish people in the British armed forces.

He said he had been considered too old to join the Army here and had chosen the British army over the French Foreign Legion.

He served in Poland, Oman, Germany, Kosovo and Canada, as well as the UK, before going to Iraq.