ANGUISHED parents last night demanded a fresh inquiry into the mysterious suicides of two young soldiers at Catterick Garrison, Europe's biggest Army base.

Private Alan Sharples and Private Richard Robertson both died of gunshot wounds while they were stationed at the barracks in North Yorkshire.

Although two official inquiries concluded the deaths were suicides, families of both soldiers say they are deeply unhappy with both the verdict and how the investigations were carried out.

Now their cases have been taken up by the parents of four soldiers who died in strange circumstances at the Royal Logistic Corps headquarters in Deepcut, Surrey.

Families of the so-called Deepcut Four - Private Geoff Gray, who was brought up in Seaham, County Durham, Pte James Collinson, 17, from Perth, Scotland, Pte Sean Benton, 20, from Hastings, and 18-year-old Pte Cheryl James, from Llangollen, Wales - believe they have stumbled upon an Army cover-up.

Controversy over the Deepcut deaths had led to questions being asked about the way the armed forces investigate sudden deaths.

Now Catterick Garrison has been drawn into the debate.

Death one:

Soldier Alan Sharples died from a gunshot wound to his head while on guard duty at Helles Barracks, at the garrison, on April 30, 2000.

The 20-year-old was patrolling the ground with a fellow soldier during a morning shift and was discovered dead at 10.30am.

The Army told his relatives that Alan, 20, had committed suicide - an explanation they do not agree with.

Speaking from her home in Wigan last night, June Sharples, 45, said: "None of the family believe he committed suicide. Alan had never been happier. He had just got engaged to his girlfriend and he was madly in love. He was doing very well in the Army and they said that he was well liked. Alan was at home the day before he died and was fine."

Army officials and North Yorkshire police investigated the death, but said there were no suspicious circumstances.

However, an inquest in May 2000 recorded an open verdict because the coroner could find no reason why the young soldier would take his own life.

"We do not know what happened that day, but we do not believe Alan killed himself," said Mrs Sharples.

Death two:

The coroner in the case of Pte Robertson was unhappy as well. The 17-year-old died from a gunshot wound while on a training exercise at Deerpark Range, Bellerby, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, on June 2, 1995.

He had been on the firing range, when he was shot in the neck by a bullet from his own gun. The incident was not seen by any of the other soldiers.

His mother, Linda Robertson, of Perthshire, claims the family has been stonewalled by the Army over what happened that day.

At the inquest into his death, in March 1996, North Yorkshire Coroner Jeremy Cave said: "I am not entirely happy with the situation. Obviously one could decide that this young man took his own life or there was an accident. It's difficult to come down one way or another."

Unhappy with the official explanation, Pte Robertson's parents launched a legal bid - remortgaging their home to fund the battle - but had to abandon it because of financial difficulties.

Mrs Robertson said: "I just want to know exactly what happened to my son."

The father of Pte Gray, who died last September at Deepcut, is compiling a dossier of deaths on Army bases that he hopes to present to a public inquiry, held by MPs.

The families of Pte Robertson and Pte Sharples are supporting his calls for an inquiry.

"We just want to know what happened to our children," said Mrs Sharples.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "The Army provides a huge amount of support to families of loved ones who have died.

"An investigation will be launched into any death on bases that is not of natural causes. An Army inquiry is very similar to a civilian one. It is not a closed shop procedure."

Former Opposition leader William Hague, whose Richmond constituency includes Catterick, said he wanted to be kept updated on future developments into the deaths