Fitting tribute for the city hero killed in Afghan battlefields

Published on Saturday 18 October 2008 10:51

SOLDIERS suffering post-traumatic stress are to be treated at a specialist centre in the Lothians named in honour of heroic paratrooper Corporal Mark Wright, it was announced today.

The 27-year-old, from Newington, was trying to help fellow soldiers when he was killed by a mine exploding, as a Chinook helicopter attempted to rescue them in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Defence "should hang their heads in shame" over the lack of equipment and funds that led to his death, coroner Andrew Walker said yesterday, as he recorded a narrative verdict following a two-week inquest in Oxford.

He said a catalogue of serious failures had contributed to the Edinburgh soldier's death.

A fundraising campaign has been launched to raise more than 4 million to build and equip the centre.

The trustees of the project are in negotiations to buy an as-yet-unnamed site in the region to house the Mark Wright Centre.

The treatment centre would be able to treat around 20 service personnel, with space to accommodate visiting family.

There they would be offered physiotherapy and psychological support, after serving in a war zone, as well as access to outdoor activities.

Neil Innes, chairman of the project, said: "We can achieve this through working with and for the MOD and Government in meeting their duty of care. We are dedicated to establishing a post-conflict trauma recovery and rehabilitation centre in the east of Scotland dedicated to providing holistic early intervention therapeutic support, treatment and services.

"By establishing partnerships with adventure retreat organisations, we will provide opportunities for service veterans to access enjoyable therapeutic bespoke retreat and respite breaks."

The project's backers, who include Cpl Wright's parents, Bob and Jem, who live in Newington, are optimistic the necessary funds can be raised though grants and donations.

Cpl Wright was serving as a paratrooper with the 3rd Battalion parachute regiment when the explosion happened on September 6, 2006.

He had entered a minefield to help fellow soldiers, but died when the downdraft from a helicopter triggered the blast.

He was posthumously awarded one of Britain's highest bravery awards, the George Cross.

A Mark Wright Centre project spokesman said: "He would have wanted something positive to come out of this tragedy and would approve of his name being associated with a trust dedicated to helping other servicemen and women. It will help them overcome not only the visible but also the invisible wounds of war and conflict."

At yesterday's hearing, the coroner said the fact Cpl Wright wasn't rescued successfully was "lamentable".

To donate to the project visit www.markwrightproject.org or send a cheque to The Mark Wright Project c/o Innes Sculthorp Chartered Accountants, 78 Easter Bankton, Murieston, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 9BE.

Our pride and our pain

THE parents of Corporal Mark Wright told of their pride in their son but said it had been painful to listen to the catalogue of errors that led to his death.

Following the coroner's verdict, Bob Wright, who was accompanied by his wife Jem, said: "Jem and I came to this inquest to understand how and why Mark died. Thanks to the thoroughness of the coroner, we have the answers.

"We are proud that our son showed courage when serving his country. We were also proud to be associated with the courage of his colleagues both on that day and in coming to this inquest to relive those events.

"We are satisfied that Mark did not cause his own death or contribute to it in any way. This will give us some peace of mind. As to the how, it has been painful to listen to the catalogue of errors that led to Mark's death.

"However, the coroner has made recommendations that must be followed. Jem and I don't want any other families to experience the loss of their child in similar circumstances."