RELATIVES of Hampshire's servicemen and woman who died in the Iraq war were gathering in London today to hear for themselves the findings of the long-awaited Chilcot report.

The official inquiry into the invasion has taken seven years and families of those who lost their lives in the conflict have been invited to attend the delivery of the report by Sir John Chilcot.

Among those making the journey was Sally Veck, the mother of Eleanor Dlugosz, from Bishop's Waltham, who at 19 was one of the youngest female soldiers to lose her life.

Her family said they would wait to see the report before deciding whether to talk about its findings.

Even before the report was complete, some families were dismissing the inquiry as a "whitewash" amid frustration at the length of time it has taken after it was hit by a series of delays.

Sir John said he would not rule on whether the invasion in 2003 was legal in terms of international law, instead pledging to provide a "full and insightful" account of the decision-making process.

It is that analysis that will be particularly scrutinised by former Southampton Itchen MP John Denham who resigned from the cabinet over his opposition in going to war.

Speaking on the eve of the report's publication Mr Denham said: "I think most people now believe that the war was a mistake and that it was badly planned particularly in terms of the long term consequences, I don't think that is in doubt."

He said he would be interested in three key areas in the report not least whether any light could be shed on whether there had been any commitment to war made to the USA to take Britain into war, whether the quality of intelligence was made to be more definite than it actually was and whether any lessons could be learned about decision-making in government.

He said: "Right up to the week before there had never been a clear discussion in cabinet about the direction of strategy. Some lessons could be learned around whether there will be different ways government should make a decision like that."

Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead, who also voted against the war in 2003, said he would also be looking for clarification on a number of issues.

He said: "I would like to see if some of those unanswered questions I had at the time are addressed.

"My view was that the case had not been made for war so I wasn't persuaded. There were other options that were available.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say I would feel as if those concerns were vindicated but I would like to know whether it would have been right at the time to have rather more careful and critical approach."

Along with dealing with the decision to go to war the report, which runs to 12 volumes plus summary with 2.6 million words, it will also look at the equipment supplied to British troops, amid claims they were not given adequate protection, and how Iraq descended into a civil war in the aftermath.

The Hampshire servicemen and women killed in Iraq March 2003: Staff Sergeant Chris Muir, 32, of Romse. Army School of Ammunition, Royal Logistic Corps. Army Staff Sergeant Muir was the third British bomb disposal specialist to die in Iraq, during an operation to dismantle munitions.

September 2004: Corporal Marc Taylor, 27, of Ellesmere Port but based in Winchester, was one of two soldiers killed when their convoy came under fire on the outskirts of Basra.

January 2005: Acting Lance Corporal Steven Jones, 25, of Fareham. Royal Signals. Lance Corporal Steven Jones, 25, was one of ten servicemen killed in an RAF Hercules crash February 2006: Captain Richard Holmes, 28 of Winchester. 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment. Captain Holmes was one of two soldiers killed instantly when an improvised bomb exploded next to his armoured Land-Rover in the southern city of Al Amarah.

November 2006: Corporal Ben Nowak, 27, 45 Commando Royal Marines. Born in Liverpool, his father Jim lives in Bursledon. He was one of four military personnel who were killed on the Shatt al-Arab River near Basra when a makeshift explosive was detonated by remote control as their boat passed underneath.

April 2007: Private Eleanor Dlugosz, 19, of Southampton. Royal Army Medical Corps. Army medic Pte Duglosz, from Swanmore, was killed when the armoured Warrior vehicle she was travelling in was hit by a bomb blast.

June 2007: Major Paul Harding, 48, of Winchester. 4th Battalion, The Rifles. Died in a mortar attack in Basra. He was one of the Army’s most experienced soldiers, with 30 years service in the Royal Green Jackets and The Rifles.