An inquest into the deaths of ten servicemen as the result of the crash of a Hercules aircraft in Iraq two years ago is likely to concentrate on whether lives could have been saved if explosive suppressant foam (ESF) had been fitted to the aircraft.

At a pre-inquest hearing at Devizes magistrates' court today, Wiltshire coroner David Masters said the inquest is likely to take place at Trowbridge town hall, but certainly not before September.

Another pre-inquest hearing is likely to take place at the end of May or beginning of June.

It was on January 30 2005 that the C130 Hercules transport based at RAF Lyneham crashed 40 miles north west of Baghdad with the loss of all ten men on board.

They were Flt Lt David Stead, Flt Lt Andrew Smith, Flt Lt Paul Pardoel, Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, Chief Technician Richard Brown, Flt Sgt Robert O'Connor, Cpl David Williams, Sqn Ldr Patrick Marshall and Acting L/Cpl Steven Jones.

Many of their relatives were in court yesterday to hear the discussions between Mr Masters and barristers representing the bereaved families and the Ministry of Defence.

Mr Masters assured the court that he would undertake a full, frank and fearless investigation and would not be limited to what happened on January 30 2005 but to all circumstances surrounding the deaths of the victims.

John Cooper from McKay Law solicitors, who are representing a number of relatives, suggested that a jury should sit on this case because of its significance and importance.

But Mr Masters suggested that it would be in the interests of families to keep the length of the hearing, likely to take at least three weeks, to the minimum.

He said that he had recently heard the inquest into the death of Ronald Maddison, a serviceman who died at Porton Down 50 years ago following his participation in testing of Sarin nerve gas, and had heard that without a jury.

Barrister Bernard Collaery had flown all the way from Sydney, Australia, to represent the widow of Flt Lt Pardoel, an Australian national.

He asked Mr Masters to consider evidence of an incident the year before the Hercules crash when a crew survived an hit by a rifle bullet on their aircraft, allegedly because it had been fitted with explosive suppressant foam.

Mr Masters said he had decided to employ an investigator, who would have the status of a coroner's officer but would concentrate in collating evidence specifically for the inquest.

The investigator would examine all the evidence relating to the use of ESF in RAF aircraft.

Mr Collaery expressed his concern over the length of time it had taken coalition forces to secure the crash site, allowing insurgents to film the scene.

He said: "My client was faced with film of her husband's body being sold on the Ebay site."

He said that the site was within six minutes' flying time of the nearest US air base but it had taken 60 hours to secure it, though he recognised this may have been for operational reasons.

Wing Commander John Reid, president of the board of inquiry that reported on the crash for the Ministry of Defence was present in court, although he didn't speak.

He will be questioned over why it was necessary to order part of the wreckage to be blown up.