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Capt Richard Holloway inquest: Coroner breaks down in tears | Capt Richard Holloway inquest: Coroner breaks down in tears |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A coroner broke down in tears while summing up at the inquest into the death of a soldier in Afghanistan. | A coroner broke down in tears while summing up at the inquest into the death of a soldier in Afghanistan. |
Capt Richard Holloway, of the Special Boat Service, was hit by enemy fire in 2013 while on operations east of Kabul. | Capt Richard Holloway, of the Special Boat Service, was hit by enemy fire in 2013 while on operations east of Kabul. |
The 29-year-old from County Durham was the 447th British soldier to be killed in the country since 2001. | The 29-year-old from County Durham was the 447th British soldier to be killed in the country since 2001. |
Coroner Andrew Tweddle, whose son died in a car accident, said he would "feel very proud" to hear tributes to his son like those paid to Capt Holloway. | Coroner Andrew Tweddle, whose son died in a car accident, said he would "feel very proud" to hear tributes to his son like those paid to Capt Holloway. |
He concluded that Capt Holloway, from Hamsterley, died from gunshot wounds sustained while on active operational duty in Afghanistan. | He concluded that Capt Holloway, from Hamsterley, died from gunshot wounds sustained while on active operational duty in Afghanistan. |
The former Royal Engineer was shot in the pelvis and thigh during a night operation in mountainous terrain, the inquest in Crook heard. | The former Royal Engineer was shot in the pelvis and thigh during a night operation in mountainous terrain, the inquest in Crook heard. |
His commanding officer, Officer C, gave evidence from behind a screen to safeguard special forces "operational effectiveness". | |
He told the inquest the operation was to take out high-ranking Taliban officials living in a rocky valley outside Kabul. | |
"Right when we started training for this specific role, I sat the whole group of my men down and said statistically one will be killed and four will be injured on this operation," he said. | |
"This is nothing out of the ordinary. It happens, unfortunately. It is part of the risk of taking the job." | |
'Died protecting freedoms' | |
Officer C carried Capt Holloway off the mountain but said he knew he was already dead. | |
The inquest heard 10 enemy fighters were killed, including one would-be suicide bomber. | |
Officer C said the operation was a tactical success, as it disrupted the Taliban psychologically in an area where they would assume they were safe. | |
"Rich died with a rifle in his hand, he died doing the job that he absolutely loved and he died protecting the freedoms the Afghan people enjoyed, like the people in the UK," Officer C said. | "Rich died with a rifle in his hand, he died doing the job that he absolutely loved and he died protecting the freedoms the Afghan people enjoyed, like the people in the UK," Officer C said. |
At the conclusion of the inquest, Mr Tweddle wept as he repeated Officer C's words and said: "I have difficulty saying this. | At the conclusion of the inquest, Mr Tweddle wept as he repeated Officer C's words and said: "I have difficulty saying this. |
"My son died some years ago in a car crash. If someone had said to me what that officer had said, I would feel very proud." | "My son died some years ago in a car crash. If someone had said to me what that officer had said, I would feel very proud." |