Soldier died in explosion
Saturday, January 30, 2010.

A SOLDIER from Plymouth was killed in a New Year's Day explosion that "overwhelmed" the armoured vehicle he was driving while leading a patrol in the Afghan desert, an inquest has heard.
TA Serjeant Chris Reed, 25, was commanding a four-vehicle test-firing patrol in the Garmsir District of Helmand Province when the blast struck his armoured Land Rover, killing him and seriously injuring a comrade.
The Government last night said it would ensure 'all possible lessons are learnt' following both the inquest and a MoD investigation into the tragic incident.
An hour and a half of yesterday's hearing took place behind closed doors, to protect 'sensitive' information judged likely to undermine national security.
But Sjt Reed's family quizzed Army chiefs over the suitability of driving the lightly-armoured Land Rover WMIK (Weapons Mounted Installation Kit).
Sjt Reed, who worked for Babcock Marine in his civilian life, was serving with the 6th Battalion The Rifles. He had planned the patrol route and picked a location the team would take Afghan National Army recruits to in order to test-fire weapons, the inquest heard.
The IED threat in the area was deemed 'low' as 2009 began, but a shortage of qualified drivers meant Sjt Reed had to act as commander and driver.
Around 25 minutes into the patrol, the leading vehicle hit an IED packed with around 25kg of explosive. Fellow Riflemen told the inquest they heard a loud explosion, followed by a 20ft cloud of smoke and dust, then a huge area of debris. Sjt Reed died at the scene.
Lt Col Alan Richmond, commander for Battle Group South at the time, said an MoD investigation into the blast had "identified lessons". Coalition forces now compile reports on exactly where they have driven in a bid to vary routes and keep Taliban fighters guessing.
There was a shortage of more heavily-protected mobility vehicles at the time, he said, so the WNIK was "the best vehicle we could provide". A vehicle such as a Mastiff, which can withstand larger blasts, would have reduced the risk of injury, the inquest was told.
Sjt Reed was due to marry fiancee Heather Crosby on his return from Afghanistan. She struggled to hold back tears at the inquest as she sat alongside his parents Brian and Joy and around a dozen other mourners.
Recording a verdict of unlawful killing while on active service, coroner Ian Arrow said: "I understand Chris was very proud to be a member of The Rifles. It's clear that he led from the front, when he didn't have to."
He described the inquest as "a broader enquiry" and said he would write to the MoD to draw their attention to 'certain matters', which could not be revealed due to 'tactical implications'.
In a statement, armed forced minister Bill Rammell said since Sjt Reed's death British troops in Afghanistan had been given a selection of new vehicles.
"We will consider the coroner's verdict alongside our own military investigation to ensure that all possible lessons are learnt," he said. "The safety of our personnel is a top priority. Operational commanders now have a variety of vehicles at their disposal. These provide the varying degrees of mobility, firepower and protection needed to match the differing situations and threats."

Super-fit soldier died on run
Northern Echo, Feb 5, 2010 | by Andy Walker

A SUPER-FIT Army officer who collapsed after a five mile run on a military base was the victim of a rare natural cause of death, an inquest has heard.

Lieutenant Peter Rous, of 1st Battalion Scots Guards, got into difficulty towards the end of the training routine at Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, on November 3, last year.

Despite receiving on-the spot medical attention, efforts to resuscitate the 25year-old failed and he was declared dead at the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton.

Experts say he was struck down by sudden adult death syndrome (SADS), which mainly affects young men.

Lt Rous trained at the Royal Military Academy, at Sandhurst, in Berkshire, and had performed ceremonial duties at Buckingham Palace.

His regiment was preparing for a tour of Afghanistan and was two days into a three week parachute training course at the base when he died.

Pathologist Kolanu Prasad carried out a post-mortem examination on Lt Rous, who was from Dennington, in Suffolk.

Dr Prasad told yesterday's inquest that there were no substantial abnormalities to Lt Rous' heart and said that SADS was the likely cause of death.

Coroner Michael Oakley recorded a verdict of death by natural causes.

He said: "The post-mortem evidence shows that Lt Rous had a perfectly good heart, which has stopped due to unknown reasons.

"There has been a lot of research into sudden adult death.

"It could be that Lt Rous' heart did not have enough rhythm sent to it, or its electrical impulses may have been unusual for some reason.

"Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine whether that is the case after death."

Lt Rous' family - his mother Teresa, father Peter and sister Laura - attended yesterday's inquest.

Mrs Rous described her son as a "kind and gentle man who absolutely loved life".

She said: "Peter achieved a great deal in his short life. He was an incredibly fit man - super fit in fact."

Lt Rous' sister described him as her best friend, saying he had always aspired to a military career.

She said: "Pete wanted to be in the Army from a young age. He didn't waste a second of life.

"He was one of those incredible charismatic people who was at ease with people from all walks of life."

Lt Rous served in Iraq in 2008 and took part in the State Opening of Parliament and Trooping The Colour.

    

Edited by Elaine - 09 Feb 2010 at 8:19am

Inquest into soldier's death in Afghanistan - BBC news

Cpl Sean Binnie was killed in May last year
An inquest into the death of an Aberdeen soldier killed in Afghanistan is due to be held.

Cpl Sean Binnie, 22, who served with the Black Watch 3rd battalion, was killed on a patrol in Helmand province in May last year.

Relatives have travelled from Aberdeen to Trowbridge in Wiltshire where the inquest is due to get under way on Friday.

Cpl Binnie had married just a few months before his death.

His family said they knew the inquest would be a very traumatic experience but it was something they had to do.

'Waiting for you'

His widow, Amanda, earlier said: "He just loved the Army."

But she admitted: "I think he knew he was not going to come home."

Before his death, he had left a letter for his wife with her father. It read: "I'm so sorry you have to read this letter, but I'll be waiting on the other side for you."

Cpl Binnie had joined the Army in 2003.


    

Edited by Elaine - 19 Feb 2010 at 9:18am

Inquest father questions lack of air transport in Afghan campaign.

24 February 2010
The serving father of a British soldier killed on patrol in Afghanistan questioned the lack of air transport when he spoke at an inquest into his son's death yesterday.
Corporal Graeme Stiff, 24, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was travelling in a Jackal patrol vehicle when it hit what was probably an anti-tank mine on March 15 last year.

Cpl Stiff and Cpl Dean John, 25, were both thrown from the vehicle and killed as they travelled between Forward Operating Bases in the Garmsir district of Helmand Province.

Squadron commander Major Charles Waggett told Wiltshire Coroner's Court the four-vehicle patrol was to take him on an eight-mile journey for a meeting with other senior officers.

Cpl Stiff's father, Lieutenant Colonel David Stiff, who serves with the Defence School of Transport at Leconfield, near Hull, asked Maj Waggett if he was ever offered air support. Maj Waggett said it was not.

Later Lt Col Stiff asked coroner David Ridley whether it was appropriate for the coroner to mention the lack of air transport in his conclusion. The coroner said he was "not minded" to do so and recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

The inquest heard the blast – likely to have been a commercial 10kg anti-tank mine rather than a homemade device – went off beneath the front, right side tyre.

All three soldiers within the Jackal were thrown from the vehicle, which was flipped over on to its side.

Cpl Dean died on board a helicopter en route to the military hospital at Camp Bastion.

Cpl Stiff, who lived in Bonby, North Lincolnshire, was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after he was admitted.

The sole survivor of the blast, Lance Corporal James Jones told the inquest he could not recall anything from the explosion.

The cause of death for both soldiers was blast injuries.
    

Edited by Elaine - 27 Feb 2010 at 11:24am

Inquest hears vehicle in Afghan blast 'not adequate'
Cpl Bryant, Cpl Sean Robert Reeve and Paul Stout
The vehicle's vulnerability to roadside bombs has been highlighted in the past

The sole survivor of a 2008 blast in Afghanistan has told an inquest he believed the vehicle he was travelling in was "not adequate for the job".

The special forces soldier broke down while giving evidence at the inquest of four UK soldiers who were killed, at Wiltshire Coroner's Court.

They were Cpl Sarah Bryant and three SAS reservists - Cpl Sean Reeve, L/Cpl Richard Larkin and Pte Paul Stout.

Cpl Bryant is the only British female soldier to have died in Afghanistan.

The four were in a Snatch Land Rover, a light vehicle in which at least 37 UK soldiers have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Known as Soldier E, the witness said he was told during pre-deployment training he would be travelling in Snatch Land Rovers.

"There was a lot of worry that these weren't the right vehicle, in our opinion, for the job in hand," he said.

"Having used the Snatch in our pre-deployment training, our concerns were heightened, especially when off-road. The mobility and flexibility of the vehicle came into question."

'Huge explosion'

He added: "It could go off-road, but as a platform to maintain operations, I believe it was not adequate for the job."

The witness said the soldiers were moving along their route after doing improvised explosive device (IED) checks when the Land Rover's back wheel hit an IED.
     
Jonathan Beale
Jonathan Beale, at the inquest
This inquest has once again posed difficult questions for ministers and the Ministry of Defence about the training and equipment given to British soldiers being deployed for combat in Afghanistan.

The inquest has already heard two witnesses, Soldier O and Soldier A, express strong concerns about the Land Rover Snatch. On day one, Soldier O told the court that when they found out they would be using the vehicles to patrol, it was met by "disbelief" among his men. Soldier E, the sole survivor in this incident, also says the Snatch was inadequate for the job.

There is a question, too, over the training they received before being deployed to Afghanistan. Both Soldier O and Soldier E say they had "limited" training in how to detect roadside bombs. There was also clearly a shortage of equipment. Soldier E says he had to go "cap in hand" to "borrow" a mine detector because at first they had not been issued.

This raises another important point. Were members of the Territorial Army - and this unit was made up of mostly reservists - at the back of the queue when equipment was being handed out?

After the soldier told of a "huge explosion", the coroner read the rest of his statement as he was unable to continue.

"The next thing I can recall is our vehicle was being catapulted into the air," he said.

"I remember seeing the ground, the sky, then the ground, the sky, and then the vehicle hitting the ground."

On Monday, Coroner David Masters said the six-day inquest would look at the soldiers' equipment, training and mine detection drills.

The back wheel of their Land Rover hit a 50kg to 100kg (110lb-220lb) pressure-plated IED, or roadside bomb, as they crossed a ditch.

Giving evidence, another witness - Soldier J - confirmed that in his original statement he had voiced concerns about the level of training they had received for IED searches - called Operation Barma drills.

The coroner asked: "You didn't feel you have received sufficient training to conduct these drills?"

Soldier J said: "That's correct, particularly as we knew the biggest threat in the country was from IEDs."

He said he had specifically requested time to practise the drill on dedicated mine lanes at Camp Bastion "but that request was refused".

Better armour

The deaths, in particular that of Cpl Bryant - a young, recently married member of the Intelligence Corps - attracted much media attention at the time.

The incident also attracted a lot of criticism, with one SAS major resigning his commission in protest.

Concerns about the Snatch Land Rover were raised as long ago as 2003.

The lightly armoured vehicle's vulnerability to roadside bombs and other explosives has led some soldiers to call it the "mobile coffin".

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has upgraded the Snatch with improvements to its armour and better electronic counter-measures to detect makeshift roadside bombs. But that work has yet to be completed.

In a statement, the MoD said its thoughts were with the families of Cpl Bryant, L/Cpl Reeve, L/Cpl Larkin and Pte Stout but it would not comment on ongoing inquest proceedings.