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| SAS march on which three men died 'went ahead to avoid paperwork' | SAS march on which three men died 'went ahead to avoid paperwork' |
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| An army officer told a grieving family that a gruelling SAS test march during which three highly fit men suffered heat illness and died was not called off because of the amount of paperwork a cancellation would have created, it has been claimed. | An army officer told a grieving family that a gruelling SAS test march during which three highly fit men suffered heat illness and died was not called off because of the amount of paperwork a cancellation would have created, it has been claimed. |
| The mother of Craig Roberts, one of the trio who died during the exercise on the Brecon Beacons, claimed she asked why the march had not been cancelled when she went to identify her son’s body. | The mother of Craig Roberts, one of the trio who died during the exercise on the Brecon Beacons, claimed she asked why the march had not been cancelled when she went to identify her son’s body. |
| In a statement read out at the inquest of the three men, Margaret Roberts said: “We asked why the march could not have waited.” She alleged an officer told her: “There would be too much paperwork to postpone it.” | In a statement read out at the inquest of the three men, Margaret Roberts said: “We asked why the march could not have waited.” She alleged an officer told her: “There would be too much paperwork to postpone it.” |
| In her statement, Roberts said: “We were so angry at that. Not only had we just seen our beautiful boy. We were being told the march had not been cancelled to save paperwork.” | In her statement, Roberts said: “We were so angry at that. Not only had we just seen our beautiful boy. We were being told the march had not been cancelled to save paperwork.” |
| Roberts, 24, James Dunsby and Edward Maher, both 31, were all taking part in the exercise on and around Pen Y Fan, the highest mountain in southern Britain, on 13 July 2013. All suffered hyperthermia. | Roberts, 24, James Dunsby and Edward Maher, both 31, were all taking part in the exercise on and around Pen Y Fan, the highest mountain in southern Britain, on 13 July 2013. All suffered hyperthermia. |
| The inquest, which is being held in Solihull, West Midlands, heard that temperatures reached 27C (80.6F) and winds were light. As temperatures increased during the day, several other men suffered heat illness and could not complete the test, the inquest heard. | The inquest, which is being held in Solihull, West Midlands, heard that temperatures reached 27C (80.6F) and winds were light. As temperatures increased during the day, several other men suffered heat illness and could not complete the test, the inquest heard. |
| At the start of the hearing, Louise Hunt, senior coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, said: “It’s important that the full facts are brought to light, culpability and discreditable conduct exposed and suspicion of deliberate wrongdoing is allayed.” She added that any changes or lessons learned as a result of the soldiers’ deaths would also be examined. | At the start of the hearing, Louise Hunt, senior coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, said: “It’s important that the full facts are brought to light, culpability and discreditable conduct exposed and suspicion of deliberate wrongdoing is allayed.” She added that any changes or lessons learned as a result of the soldiers’ deaths would also be examined. |
| Hunt said: “Those that lost a relative will at least have satisfaction of knowing any lessons learned from the death may save the lives of others.” | Hunt said: “Those that lost a relative will at least have satisfaction of knowing any lessons learned from the death may save the lives of others.” |
| Setting out the basic circumstances of the training exercise, Hunt said 78 soldiers carrying backpacks weighing at least 22kg (49lb) – not including their food and water – had set out on the march. Of those, 37 were army reservists like those who subsequently died. | Setting out the basic circumstances of the training exercise, Hunt said 78 soldiers carrying backpacks weighing at least 22kg (49lb) – not including their food and water – had set out on the march. Of those, 37 were army reservists like those who subsequently died. |
| The march covered 16.4 miles, with five checkpoints. The candidates had to complete the test within eight hours and 45 minutes. | The march covered 16.4 miles, with five checkpoints. The candidates had to complete the test within eight hours and 45 minutes. |
| Hunt said the hearing would explore issues including how the exercise was planned, what checks were made about the weather, emergency procedures and what water was available. | Hunt said the hearing would explore issues including how the exercise was planned, what checks were made about the weather, emergency procedures and what water was available. |
| It will look at whether the exercise should have been aborted and consider whether a GPS system for tracking soldiers was working and being properly monitored. | It will look at whether the exercise should have been aborted and consider whether a GPS system for tracking soldiers was working and being properly monitored. |
| Relatives of the three men who died described motivated and fit men. | Relatives of the three men who died described motivated and fit men. |
| Bryher Dunsby, the widow of James, said he was an intelligence analyst for the Ministry of Defence and a highly experienced army medic who had worked as a reservist in Australia and the UK. | Bryher Dunsby, the widow of James, said he was an intelligence analyst for the Ministry of Defence and a highly experienced army medic who had worked as a reservist in Australia and the UK. |
| She said he was exceptionally fit and had increased the already high tempo of his training regime when he decided to try to join the special forces. “When he decided to put himself forward for this, everything ramped up considerably,” she said. | She said he was exceptionally fit and had increased the already high tempo of his training regime when he decided to try to join the special forces. “When he decided to put himself forward for this, everything ramped up considerably,” she said. |
| Ms Dunsby said he had served in Helmand with the British army and knew very well the importance of drinking enough water during hot conditions. She said he had “loved” the army and wanted to “join the best of the best”. When she last saw him a few days before he died, he was, she said “on exceptional form”. | Ms Dunsby said he had served in Helmand with the British army and knew very well the importance of drinking enough water during hot conditions. She said he had “loved” the army and wanted to “join the best of the best”. When she last saw him a few days before he died, he was, she said “on exceptional form”. |
| Maher’s father, also Edward, also painted a picture of an experienced reservist. Maher, a charity worker, had previously worked in covert surveillance with special forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and east Africa. | Maher’s father, also Edward, also painted a picture of an experienced reservist. Maher, a charity worker, had previously worked in covert surveillance with special forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and east Africa. |
| He said his son had been “superbly fit” but had mainly trained for the special forces exercise in cold weather. He told the inquest that it would have been normal for an athlete to acclimatise – and believed that not doing this was a “major contributing factor” in his death. | He said his son had been “superbly fit” but had mainly trained for the special forces exercise in cold weather. He told the inquest that it would have been normal for an athlete to acclimatise – and believed that not doing this was a “major contributing factor” in his death. |
| Maher said his son had an “acute sense of honour” and said he hoped the MoD would adopt an “honourable approach” in uncovering the facts. | Maher said his son had an “acute sense of honour” and said he hoped the MoD would adopt an “honourable approach” in uncovering the facts. |
| The inquest is likely to last four weeks. Many witnesses will give evidence from behind a screen and be identified only by letters and numbers. The SAS has not been directly referred to during the hearing – the phrase being used is specialist military units. | The inquest is likely to last four weeks. Many witnesses will give evidence from behind a screen and be identified only by letters and numbers. The SAS has not been directly referred to during the hearing – the phrase being used is specialist military units. |
| The statement from Roberts’s mother revealed her son, a teaching assistant at the time of his death, had been a reservist in the elite Parachute Regiment. It said: “He wanted to be the best he could be.” | |
| He believed special forces were the “best of the best”. Ms Roberts said the family was concerned he would be sent somewhere dangerous. “It didn’t occur to us to worry about the training,” she said. |