FAMILIES of the Red Caps massacred in Iraq last night vowed to fight to have inquests into how they died after the Army admitted no staff will be punished for what happened.

The men, all from 156 Provost Company, were killed by an Iraqi mob as they manned a small police station in Al Majar Al Kabir on June 24, 2004.

The six who died were Corporal Simon Miller, 21, from Washington, Tyne and Wear, who was engaged to be married; Lance Corporal Benjamin Hyde, 23, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire; Sergeant Simon Alexander Hamilton-Jewell, from Chessington, Surrey; Corporal Russell Aston, 30, from Swadlincote, Derbyshire, who was married with a daughter; Corporal Paul Long, 24, from Colchester, Essex; and Lance Corporal Thomas Keys, 20, from Bala, Wales.

Last night, Cpl Miller's father, John, said the Army should hold an inquest. He vowed: "We will not rest until this happens, I owe this to my son. We will see justice done.''

He believed full inquest hearings would allow the families to have legal assistance while questioning the Army.

''We will get this coroner's inquest and we will get these people in front of us.''

Letters sent to the grieving relatives state that no ''administrative action'' will be taken against Army personnel.

The MoD insisted the inquiry into the RMP deaths was not a cover-up and the Board of Inquiry came to its conclusions based purely on the facts.

John Hyde, the father of 23-year-old Lance Corporal Benjamin Hyde, said there was evidence to show the deaths could have been prevented, but the Ministry of Defence just would not admit it.

Mr Hyde, of Northallerton, North Yorkshire, said: ''It is pretty much what we expected, I think.

''I don't think it was a cover-up as such - the findings of the Board of Inquiry were very thorough.

''All the evidence is there to show the Army messed up but they just won't admit it.''