Cryptic crossword clue
Tough English soldiers deserted first and were killed 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word BUTCHERED

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
B
U
T
C
H
E
R
E
D

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "killed" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case killed = butchered.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does BUTCHERED mean?

BUTCHERED verb
  1. To slaughter (animals) and prepare (meat) for market.
  2. To kill brutally.
  3. To ruin (something), often to the point of defamation.
BUTCHERED adjective
  1. (of an animal) Taken apart professionally, as a butcher might.
  2. (by extension) Taken apart, destroyed or distorted beyond recognition.

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