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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'
(about 4 hours later)
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. A senior army officer told a grieving family that a gruelling special forces test march, during which three men suffered heat illness and died, was not called off because of the paperwork a cancellation would have created, a coroner has heard.
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 Lance Corporal Craig Roberts, one of the trio who died during the SAS test on the Brecon Beacons in July 2013, said that when she went to identify her son’s body she asked why the march had not been delayed on one of the hottest days of the year.
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 into the deaths of the three men, Margaret Roberts said: “We asked why the march could not have waited.” She alleged an unnamed officer told her: “There would be too much paperwork to postpone it.” Roberts added: “We were so angry at that. 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, Corporal James Dunsby and Lance Corporal Edward Maher, both 31, were all taking part in the exercise in south Wales on and around Pen y Fan, the highest mountain in southern Britain. 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 unusually light. As the heat built during the day, at least seven and possibly 10 men – in addition to the three who died – suffered from heat illness.
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. It emerged that there was no water at two of the five checkpoints on the routes and no medics at three of them, while concerns also surfaced about some of the equipment and the length of time it took to find and evacuate soldiers who were in trouble. It was claimed that an alarm on the tracker devices which is designed to be triggered when a soldier is moving very slowly was not activated that day because of the large number taking part.
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 any lessons learned as a result of the soldiers’ deaths would be examined. “It’s important that the full facts are brought to light, culpability and discreditable conduct exposed and suspicion of deliberate wrongdoing is allayed,” she said.
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, Hunt said 78 soldiers carrying backpacks weighing at least 49lb (22kg) had set out on the march. Of those, 37, including the three who died, were army reservists.
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 was 26.4km (16.4 miles) as the crow flies – though in practice the men covered around 29 or 30km – and the candidates had to complete the march within eight hours and 48 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, the emergency procedures that were in place and how freely available water was. It would look at whether the exercise should have been aborted when candidates started to suffer.
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. Relatives of the three who died described them as motivated and fit men.
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.
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 out for 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”. Dunsby said her husband had served in Helmand province in Afghanistan with the British army and knew very well the importance of drinking enough water in 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 “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, 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. Maher 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 could be 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 expected to last four weeks. Many witnesses will give evidence from behind a screen and be identified only by letters and numbers. For reasons of national security, reporters are having to delay tweeting for five minutes in case sensitive details emerge without warning. 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.” In her statement, Roberts’ mother said her son “wanted to be the best he could be” and said the family was concerned he would be sent somewhere dangerous. “It didn’t occur to us to worry about the training,” she said.
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. The inquest was told that the men who suffered heat illness that day were all reservists. The following day the selection process continued but all the remaining reservists were pulled out.
One of those reservists, who was taken ill and needed hospital treatment, identified only as 1X, described how he became dizzy and sick on the mountain. He finally lay down and tried to make himself a shelter from the sun before falling unconscious.
He was found by civilian walkers who activated his emergency beacon. He said: “I was feeling pretty horrible. I stopped sweating. I pushed myself hard. I just wanted to get to the end.” He said he had not been aware that there was no water at two of the three checkpoints.
The inquest continues.