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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Army supply 'chaos' proved fatal | Army supply 'chaos' proved fatal |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A coroner has ruled that an Army logistics failure led to the unlawful killing of a Scottish soldier in Iraq. | A coroner has ruled that an Army logistics failure led to the unlawful killing of a Scottish soldier in Iraq. |
| Gordon Gentle, 19, of the Royal Highland Fusiliers (RHF), was killed by a roadside bomb in Basra in June 2004. | Gordon Gentle, 19, of the Royal Highland Fusiliers (RHF), was killed by a roadside bomb in Basra in June 2004. |
| Selena Lynch, deputy assistant coroner for Oxfordshire, said it was probable the bomb would not have detonated had disabling device Element B been fitted. | |
| The equipment had been available, she said, but was left in a store under a mile away because of a clerical error. | |
| Fusilier Gentle's mother Rose, 43, from Glasgow, said justice had been done and the truth had come out. | Fusilier Gentle's mother Rose, 43, from Glasgow, said justice had been done and the truth had come out. |
| "I fought for that," she said. | "I fought for that," she said. |
| "I said I wouldn't give up and I didn't. My son should be here today. | "I said I wouldn't give up and I didn't. My son should be here today. |
| "They have deprived me of a beautiful son and deprived two sisters of their brother. | "They have deprived me of a beautiful son and deprived two sisters of their brother. |
| We were immensely saddened at his loss ... and we deeply regret the series of events that contributed to it Ministry of Defence spokesman | We were immensely saddened at his loss ... and we deeply regret the series of events that contributed to it Ministry of Defence spokesman |
| "I'm proud of Gordon but I am disgusted at the way he was treated. | "I'm proud of Gordon but I am disgusted at the way he was treated. |
| "They say when you join the Army it's a brilliant career. At the same time you should be looked after." | "They say when you join the Army it's a brilliant career. At the same time you should be looked after." |
| Mrs Gentle said she was appalled by the way the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had behaved. | Mrs Gentle said she was appalled by the way the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had behaved. |
| She criticised Lord Drayson, the minister who was in charge of defence procurement, for his decision to stand down on the day the inquest concluded. | She criticised Lord Drayson, the minister who was in charge of defence procurement, for his decision to stand down on the day the inquest concluded. |
| Lord Drayson said he was taking a "leave of absence" to take part in the 24-hour Le Mans race. | Lord Drayson said he was taking a "leave of absence" to take part in the 24-hour Le Mans race. |
| Mrs Gentle said: "He should be at his desk, not trotting off to some race. | Mrs Gentle said: "He should be at his desk, not trotting off to some race. |
| Rose Gentle has been highly critical of the Ministry of Defence | Rose Gentle has been highly critical of the Ministry of Defence |
| "I think the servicemen and women are more important than him doing a motor race." | "I think the servicemen and women are more important than him doing a motor race." |
| The inquest heard that electronic counter measures (ECMs) - known as Element B - were in theatre two weeks before Fusilier Gentle's death. | The inquest heard that electronic counter measures (ECMs) - known as Element B - were in theatre two weeks before Fusilier Gentle's death. |
| However, due to a communications breakdown they were fitted to RHF vehicles just hours after he died. | However, due to a communications breakdown they were fitted to RHF vehicles just hours after he died. |
| The store in which the kits were being held was about 1km - just over half a mile - from where the RHF were stationed, at Shaibah logistics base on the edge of Basra, the inquest heard. | The store in which the kits were being held was about 1km - just over half a mile - from where the RHF were stationed, at Shaibah logistics base on the edge of Basra, the inquest heard. |
| The ECMs arrived in theatre on 12 June. | The ECMs arrived in theatre on 12 June. |
| Their intended delivery date to the units, including the RHF, was 16 June. | Their intended delivery date to the units, including the RHF, was 16 June. |
| It was not until the evening of 28 June, hours after Fusilier Gentle's death, that RHF vehicles began to be fitted with the ECM devices. | It was not until the evening of 28 June, hours after Fusilier Gentle's death, that RHF vehicles began to be fitted with the ECM devices. |
| Top cover | Top cover |
| The coroner said the inquest at Oxford heard that the Army's in-theatre supply chain "appeared chaotic and lacking in clarity". | The coroner said the inquest at Oxford heard that the Army's in-theatre supply chain "appeared chaotic and lacking in clarity". |
| Ms Lynch branded the Ministry of Defence's policies for disclosure of evidence to her inquest "illogical and based on errors of law". | Ms Lynch branded the Ministry of Defence's policies for disclosure of evidence to her inquest "illogical and based on errors of law". |
| Fusilier Gentle had volunteered for the position of top cover, looking out from the top of the vehicle. | Fusilier Gentle had volunteered for the position of top cover, looking out from the top of the vehicle. |
| Delivering her verdict, the coroner said: "He died as a result of injuries caused by the explosion and was unlawfully killed. | Delivering her verdict, the coroner said: "He died as a result of injuries caused by the explosion and was unlawfully killed. |
| Anger as minister steps down | Anger as minister steps down |
| "It is probable that the device would not have been detonated if the escort had been equipped with an ECM, known as Element B." | "It is probable that the device would not have been detonated if the escort had been equipped with an ECM, known as Element B." |
| Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth said the government had no argument with the findings of the inquest. | Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth said the government had no argument with the findings of the inquest. |
| He said "robust reporting mechanisms" had been introduced to the system but said it was impossible to promise it would not happen again. | He said "robust reporting mechanisms" had been introduced to the system but said it was impossible to promise it would not happen again. |
| The minister said: "What I can do is try to put in place robust systems in order to minimise the threat; nobody can ever guarantee that nothing will ever go wrong." | The minister said: "What I can do is try to put in place robust systems in order to minimise the threat; nobody can ever guarantee that nothing will ever go wrong." |
| The government's aim was to make sure that when threats changed, the right equipment was supplied "as quickly as possible and as comprehensively as possible", he said. | The government's aim was to make sure that when threats changed, the right equipment was supplied "as quickly as possible and as comprehensively as possible", he said. |