Troops killed in Afghan blast were 'poorly equipped and poorly trained'

Published on Tuesday 9 March 2010 21:50

TROOPS involved in an operation in which the first British female soldier died in Afghanistan lacked vital equipment and were given inadequate training, a coroner has said.

• Corporal Sarah Bryant, 26, who was the first female soldier to be killed in Afghanistan. Picture: PA

Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner David Masters pledged to raise his concerns with the Ministry of Defence at the end of an inquest into the deaths of Corporal Sarah Bryant, 26, and three special forces comrades.

The coroner recorded unlawful killing verdicts for Cpl Bryant and special forces reservists Corporal Sean Robert Reeve, 28, Lance-Corporal Richard Larkin, 39, and Private Paul Stout, 31, who died when their Snatch Land Rover was hit by a roadside bomb in June 2008.

The six-day inquest into the deaths, held at Trowbridge Town Hall, heard a string of criticisms of their equipment and training.

Soldiers had not been shown how to use metal detectors in the UK due to an equipment shortage. Troops were forced to hunt out an expert at their Afghanistan base who passed on his knowledge.

An Ebex metal detector became available only four months into the deployment, until which point the soldiers had to scan the ground for improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Summing up yesterday, Mr Masters also highlighted the limitations of Snatch Land Rovers.

The inquest heard that the commander of the four soldiers had requested a replacement for their Snatch Land Rover but was refused due to shortages.

The vehicles could not cover soft ground and became stuck in a little water, which restricted the unit to driving along dangerous tracks.

Referring to the Ebex metal detectors, Mr Masters said: "There was a theatre-wide shortage of that piece of vital equipment."

Giving his verdict, he said: "I intend to submit a report to the Ministry of Defence which will take up a number of these issues which this inquest has canvassed."

Referring to the Ebex training, he said: "At the time leading up to these deaths that training … for this unit was inadequate."

He added: "Not only was there a shortage of equipment for training but also for use in the field."

He added: "The evidence has clearly shown that Snatch Land Rovers were not the preferred vehicle of choice for the evolving task upon which the PMT (Police Mentoring Team) were engaged."

Speaking after the inquest the families of Cpl Reeve and L-Cpl Larkin called for lessons to be learned.

In a statement the family said: "We hope that the MoD will heed the recommendations of the coroner and that by reason of the changes they make no other families will have to stand in the position in which we stand today."

The victims were in the Land Rover with a fifth soldier, the sole survivor, known as Soldier E.

Soldier E told the inquest last week the vehicle he and his fallen comrades were travelling in was "not adequate for the job". Their patrol had been instructed to provide vehicle checkpoints to help the police disrupt enemy lines of communication and recapture prisoners who had escaped from a prison in Kandahar.

The widespread use of Snatch Land Rovers by front-line troops has provoked criticism.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown was forced to defend the use of the vehicles last week when he gave evidence to the Iraq inquiry.

Armed forces minister Bill Rammell said it was "clear" that training provided at the time "could have been better".

He said: "The coroner has raised a number of serious questions in his verdict. We will look at these issues in detail and respond more fully to the coroner and the families as soon as possible."

He added: "In respect of Snatch, commanders need a variety of vehicles and we cannot always put our people in those that are most heavily armoured as these vehicles have restricted manoeuvrability and are not able to drive across the most difficult of terrain.

"We need this range of vehicles to enable us to fully engage with the local population to win over their hearts and minds in the battle against the Taleban."

Related articles:

Royal Regiment of Scotland sets off for Afghanistan

Families and officers pay tribute to soldiers killed on same day