Training march soldier dies in 86F sunshine
Family demand answers after corporal in new Brecon Beacons tragedy collapses
THE family of a ‘super-fit’ soldier demanded answers yesterday after he died following a training march on the hottest day of the year.
Corporal Josh Hoole, 26, who has twice served in Afghanistan, collapsed after the exercise in the Brecon Beacons – where three soldiers suffered fatal heat exhaustion owing to neglect on the hottest day of 2013.
Police launched an investigation into the tragedy, which came minutes after he returned from an eight-mile yomp in full kit weighing 25kg (55lbs), including heavy boots and rifle.
Lawyers who represented the family of one of the would-be SAS troops said if it was another heat-related death it would be ‘unforgivable’.
Cpl Hoole’s ‘shattered’ family said they could not comprehend the death of the 26-year-old, due to marry his fiancee this year. His aunt, Morag Craig, said: ‘We do want answers. He was a fit and healthy young man, we want to know how and why this happened.’
Grandfather John Craig said: ‘He was a dedicated soldier. He always wanted to be top dog. He was a superfit boy... he was the perfect grandson. He was just here last week.
‘He went out for a ten-mile run. We just can’t get our heads around it...The MoD have been keeping their cards close to their chest but we
‘He was healthy – we want answers’
think it’s dehydration or something that has caused this.’ Cpl Hoole, based at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick, North Yorkshire, had done two tours of Afghanistan and been to Iraq. The march was part of the pre-course training for the Platoon Sergeants’ Battle Course, which is described as ‘both mentally and physically demanding’.
He set off with comrades at 7am on Tuesday but collapsed two hours later when he returned to the Infantry Battle School centre at the Dering Lines Barracks. Ambulances were called to the centre, but Cpl Hoole was later pronounced dead. Tuesday was the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures peaking just above 30C (86F) in Brecon. It had hit 22.3C by the end of the march, which is a standard fitness test used by the army and is not supposed to be taxing.
The yomp took place along tarmacked roads and there were no hills on the route, the Ministry of Defence said. An Army source said: ‘It is not normally classified as arduous training but obviously there was the heat.’ Defence Minister Mike Penning said: ‘The safety of our personnel is our absolute pri- ority and, while deaths in training are rare, any death is a tragedy.
‘As well as a police investigation, a Service Inquiry will take place.’
The head of the Army, General Sir Nick Carter, added: ‘My heart and all of those in the Army, goes out to the family of the soldier who died yesterday. We don’t yet know the circumstances. But I can confirm it was not on Special Forces selection. This was about training for a career course that he was going to do in Brecon to become sergeant.’ A key question fac- ing investigators will be if all the recommendations were implemented from the reports following the SAS test deaths in 2013.
The officer in charge of the march will come under the most scrutiny, although sources said that a special temperature test was taken.
That key check was not undertaken by the officers in charge of the 2013 catastrophe.
A coroner slammed the Ministry Of Defence over the deaths of Corporal James Dunsby, Lance Corporal Craig Roberts and Lance Corpo- ral Edward Maher in Brecon during the gruelling SAS selection mountain exercise.
In an excoriating attack, Louise Hunt said it was the ‘inaction of many’ which helped cause the tragedy. When medics reached Cpl Dunsby his temperature was 105.8F, the highest they had ever seen.
After the verdict at Solihull Coroner’s Court last year, Corporal Dunsby’s widow, Bryher Dunsby, called on the Ministry of Defence to learn from the tragedy, saying it had ‘displayed no responsibility, no accountability and no humility’. Last night Cpl Dunsby’s father David said the army had to answer questions about what happened to Cpl Hoole – as he questioned whether the MoD had implemented any changes.
He told the Mail: ‘I have empathy for the family of Corporal Joshua Hoole and extreme sympathy for what lays ahead for his family and his fiancee. If it was a heat-related incident, then questions need to be answered once again by the MOD, were the new procedures put
in place and adhered to?’ Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded forces in Afghanistan, said: ‘This is a real tragedy. There will be a proper investigation and if it finds the MoD has put in place the satisfactory procedures then it is down to the individuals overseeing the exercise to implement them.’
Cpl Hoole’s fiancee, Rachael McKie, was being comforted by relatives at the couple’s home in Dumfries yesterday. The soldier was also due to be best man at his brother’s wedding next week.