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Heat-affected soldier was told to carry on march in which three colleagues died Heat-affected soldiers reluctant to quit march on which three died, inquest told
(about 3 hours later)
A soldier was told to try to finish a special forces test march during which three men fell ill and died though a medic had said he ought to stop because his life was at risk, a coroner has heard. Soldiers who survived a fatal SAS mountain test march have given vivid descriptions of how they succumbed to heat illness after running out of water in soaring temperatures and had to be helped by civilian hikers.
The man, identified only as Soldier 1W, described how he felt dizzy, confused and suffered a nose bleed after running out of water during the SAS mountain test on a very hot and windless day. One soldier claimed at the inquest into the deaths of three colleagues who fell ill during the 16-mile exercise that he was told to carry on and complete the march even after a medic had warned him he could die if he continued.
He said he felt relieved when a medic assessed him and pulled him off the march, telling him: “You want to wake up in the morning; you don’t want to die.” Another told how he pretended to be fine when he approached checkpoints manned by instructors because he was determined to finish but finally collapsed on the mountainside and was found by two hikers.
But 1W carried on after the chief instructor on the exercise was consulted. He collapsed again as he approached the peak of Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons, the highest mountain in southern Britain. He was taken to hospital and was treated for damage to his kidneys and heart caused by heat illness. A third said he was forced to pull out after becoming so confused by heat illness that he could not satisfactorily tell a medic his date of birth.
The inquest heard that the soldiers who took part in the test on the Brecon Beacons in south Wales were reluctant to leave voluntarily even when they were suffering very badly because they were not allowed to retake the test if they chose to retire.
Some of the soldiers said they had been given little advice about how to cope with the heat and not all knew where they could refill their water bottles.
Three army reservists – Lance Corporal Craig Roberts, 24, Lance Corporal Edward Maher and Corporal James Dunsby, both 31 – died after suffering hyperthermia during the test in July 2013.Three army reservists – Lance Corporal Craig Roberts, 24, Lance Corporal Edward Maher and Corporal James Dunsby, both 31 – died after suffering hyperthermia during the test in July 2013.
The coroner’s court in Solihull, West Midlands, has heard a claim that the test march was not called off because of the paperwork a cancellation would have created. The coroner’s court in Solihull, West Midlands, has heard a claim that the test march was not called off because of the paperwork that a cancellation would have created.
At least seven, and possibly as many as 10, candidates (all reservists) suffered heat illness as temperatures reached 27C (80.6F). Seventy-eight soldiers carrying backpacks weighing at least 22kg (49lb) had set out on the march, which they had to complete within eight hours and 48 minutes. At least seven, and possibly as many as 10, candidates – all reservists – suffered heat illness as temperatures reached reach 27C (80.6F).
Among them was 1W, who had been a reservist for a year when he put himself forward for selection. He said he could not recall being advised about the heat before the march and he was not aware that there would be no water at two of the five checkpoints the men had to pass through. “My understanding was there would be water at each checkpoint,” 1W said. Among them was a soldier codenamed 1W. He said he could not recall being advised about the heat and he was not aware that there would be no water at two of the five checkpoints. “My understanding was there would be water at each checkpoint,” 1W said.
Early on during the 16-mile march, Soldier 1W began to struggle. He quickly got through his water and noticed that his urine was dark – a sign of dehydration. When he reached the next checkpoint he discovered there was no water. Early on, Soldier 1W began to struggle. He rapidly got through his water and noticed that his urine was dark – a sign of dehydration.
He was asked by directing staff how he was and replied by drawing his hand across his neck, indicating that he was not feeling good. But he said he did not recall being asked if he had any water. At the next checkpoint he was asked by directing staff how he was and replied by drawing his hand across his neck, indicating he was not feeling good. No water was available at the checkpoint and he was not asked if he had any left.
1W said he carried on and his nose began to bleed. Later a fellow soldier found him slumped on his rucksack. “I felt dizzy, weak, sick, my nose was bleeding, I felt confused ... I wasn’t thinking straight,” he said. The other soldier helped him to a pool and lay him in the stagnant water. Later a fellow soldier found him slumped on his rucksack. “I felt dizzy, weak, sick, my nose was bleeding, I felt confused ... I wasn’t thinking straight,” he said. The other soldier lay him in a pool of stagnant water and he revived.
He reached the next checkpoint, where the medic initially withdrew him. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was relieved,” said 1W. But he was also glad when he was subsequently told to carry on. “I wanted to finish this march,” he said. He was given a drink by a civilian walker as he climbed Pen y Fan but collapsed. “I fell on the floor and was out,” he said. When 1W reached the next checkpoint, he was examined by a medic. He felt “relieved” when the medic pulled him off the march, telling him: “You want to wake up in the morning; you don’t want to die.”
1W was walked off the mountain by another civilian hiker and taken to hospital in the same ambulance as James Dunsby. He suffered no lasting physical damage. But 1W carried on after the chief instructor on the exercise was consulted. “I was told to continue on the march,” he said. He collapsed as he approached the peak of Pen y Fan, the highest mountain in southern Britain, and was given water by a civilian walker. “I fell on the floor and was out,” he said.
Asked why he had continued, 1W told the inquest: “I wasn’t going to withdraw myself.” The soldier said his understanding was that if a candidate was medically withdrawn he could retake the test. If he voluntarily withdrew, he was not allowed to do so. He was taken to hospital in the same ambulance as James Dunsby and was treated for damage to his kidneys and heart caused by heat illness, but has suffered no lasting health problems.
Another soldier, 1X, who also suffered heat illness that day, described how he also had to be helped by civilian walkers. Another soldier, 1X, who also suffered heat illness, told the inquest that he always tried to look better than he felt when he went through checkpoints. He said that the “usual answer” to the question: “Are you OK?” was: “Yes, staff [sergeant]” even if you felt dreadful.
Soldier 1X said he was a “stubborn individual” who intended to finish the march. “There are always low points,” he said, adding that the point of the training was to push beyond what you thought your limits were. Soldier 1X told the inquest how he had set off very quickly. He said nobody had given him advice about pacing himself. He told how he began to feel sick and dizzy and stopped sweating. He finally sought shelter from the heat, still intending to finish the course, but fell unconscious. After being found by two civilian walkers he was evacuated to hospital. “I pushed myself hard; I just wanted to get to the end,” he said.
1X also told the inquest that he always tried to look better than he felt when he went through checkpoints. He said that the “usual answer” to the question: “Are you okay?” was: “Yes staff” even if you felt dreadful. A third soldier, 2J, was medically withdrawn at 12.14pm after becoming so confused that he could not give his date of birth properly. One of the issues the inquest is to explore is why the exercise carried on until late afternoon after soldiers such as 2J began to suffer.
Soldier 1X told the inquest how he had gone off very quickly. He said nobody had given him advice about pacing himself. He told how he began to feel sick and dizzy and stopped sweating. He finally sought shelter from the heat, still intending to finish the course, but fell unconscious. After being found by two civilian walkers he was evacuated to hospital. “I pushed myself hard; I just wanted to get to the end,” he said. Yet another soldier, 2P, said he was “perturbed” at how he was dealt with at a checkpoint after “hitting the wall”. He said his eyes were “rolling around my head” but he was not assessed by a medic. Soldier 2P carried on slowly. “For every one step forward it was two back,” he said. When he finally collapsed, colleagues came to his aid and used a civilian’s mobile phone to call for help. “I was completely out of it, completely delirious,” he said.
Seventy eight soldiers carrying backpacks weighing at least 49lb (22kg) had set out on the march, which they had to complete within eight hours and 48 minutes.
The hearing, expected to last four weeks, is to 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 when reservists started to suffer.