Valid criticism is fine, but there's a tendency on this forum to lord it over every little mistake as if the whole BBC is incompetent. It's worth remembering that every aspect of BBC News is broadcast and open to immediate and unchecked scrutiny...mistakes will be made of course, but some sense of proportion is required. In my experience mistakes were often made in the RAF (tears/fights/sulks in the debrief anyone?). However the (smaller) errors generally stayed within the confines of the building, rather then get broadcast to the nation.
This morning BBC no doubt reported what the international news agencies in Iraq reported to them...and corrected it when the MOD corrected the story. It was obviously in the MOD's interests not to correct the story before kinform to minimise the period between families learning a UK fatality had occurred and them finding out it is/isn't their loved one.
My sincere condolences to all concerned.