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Flaw in tank gun barrel caused two soldiers' deaths, coroner finds Flaw in tank gun barrel caused two soldiers' deaths, coroner finds
(about 1 hour later)
Two soldiers fatally wounded after an explosion and fire on their tank at an Army live-firing range in Wales died after a design flaw went undetected on their armoured vehicle’s gun barrel, a senior coroner has concluded. Two soldiers fatally wounded after an explosion and fire on their tank at an army live-firing range in Wales died after a design flaw went undetected on their armoured vehicle’s gun barrel, a senior coroner concluded.
Corporals Matthew Hatfield and Darren Neilson, both of the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), succumbed to grave injuries after an incident on their Challenger 2 at the Castlemartin ranges, Pembrokeshire, Wales, on 14 June 2017.Corporals Matthew Hatfield and Darren Neilson, both of the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), succumbed to grave injuries after an incident on their Challenger 2 at the Castlemartin ranges, Pembrokeshire, Wales, on 14 June 2017.
Louise Hunt, senior coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, said the “main cause” was that the gun could be fired when a key component - the bolt vent axial (BVA) - which forms an air-tight seal blocking hot gases escaping into the crew turret, was missing. Louise Hunt, senior coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, said the main causewas that the gun could be fired when a key component, the bolt vent axial (BVA) which forms an air-tight seal blocking hot gases escaping into the crew turret, was missing.
The inquest on Tuesday, held at Solihull Civic Suite, was told Neilson, 31, and Hatfield, 27, were devoted family men as well as committed soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. The inquest on Tuesday, held at Solihull Civic Suite, was told Neilson, 31, and Hatfield, 27, were devoted family men as well as committed soldiers who had served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In June last year they were taking part in a live firing exercise on Castlemartin Ranges, south-west Wales, when they were asked to provide a “guest shoot” to WO Stuart Lawson, who worked at the site. In June last year they were taking part in a live-firing exercise on Castlemartin ranges, south-west Wales, when they were asked to provide a “guest shoot” to warrant officer Stuart Lawson, who worked at the site. He was to be given the chance to experience what it was like to be in the Challenger 2 and fire its main gun at three old tanks, nicknamed Tom, Dick and Harry, which were used as targets.
He was to be given the chance to experience what it was like to be in the Challenger 2 and fire its main gun at three old tanks, nicknamed Tom, Dick and Harry, which were used as targets.
Lawson, who survived the incident, described how Neilson, the tank commander, told him: “Yeah, we’re good to go. We’re on the target. Pull the trigger”.Lawson, who survived the incident, described how Neilson, the tank commander, told him: “Yeah, we’re good to go. We’re on the target. Pull the trigger”.
“I remember a really distinctive sound,” Lawson told the inquest. “It sounded like a pop and a fizz. It was like a sound you hear before a grenade goes off.”“I remember a really distinctive sound,” Lawson told the inquest. “It sounded like a pop and a fizz. It was like a sound you hear before a grenade goes off.”
Lawson suffered burns and lost fingers and an ear. Witnesses told how smoke and fire – described by one witness as looking like a fighter jet’s afterburners on take-off - poured out of the tank. Neilson and Hatfield, the ammunition loader, suffered fatal injuries. Lawson suffered burns and lost fingers and an ear. Witnesses told how smoke and fire – described by one witness as looking like a fighter jet’s afterburners on take-off – poured out of the tank. Neilson, and Hatfield, the ammunition loader, suffered fatal injuries.
The inquest was told that a vital piece of equipment called a BVA assembly had been removed from the tank barrel to be cleaned and not replaced before the guest shoot. It allowed gases - with an estimated temperature of 2,500C - back into the tank and may have caused the ignition of explosive charges used to fire the gun. The inquest was told that a vital piece of equipment, the BVA assembly, had been removed from the tank barrel to be cleaned and had not been replaced before the guest shoot. It allowed gases, with an estimated temperature of 2,500C, back into the tank and may have caused the ignition of explosive charges used to fire the gun.
There was no formal way of tracking the BVA assembly, the inquest heard. Mike Rawlinson QC, who was representing Lawson, described this as “chaos”.There was no formal way of tracking the BVA assembly, the inquest heard. Mike Rawlinson QC, who was representing Lawson, described this as “chaos”.
The inquest was also told by an RTR armourer that charges were routinely kept out of safe bins and sometimes even balanced on crew members’ laps, allowing them quick and easy access.The inquest was also told by an RTR armourer that charges were routinely kept out of safe bins and sometimes even balanced on crew members’ laps, allowing them quick and easy access.
The men’s commanding officer, Lt Col Simon Ridgway, said he had not spotted the culture of charges being wrongly stored. Asked if it was a failure of his leadership, Ridgway, said: “I think I failed to identify it was happening. I’m not sure it’s a failure of leadership.”The men’s commanding officer, Lt Col Simon Ridgway, said he had not spotted the culture of charges being wrongly stored. Asked if it was a failure of his leadership, Ridgway, said: “I think I failed to identify it was happening. I’m not sure it’s a failure of leadership.”
He added: “I have to admit I sort of felt physically sick when I heard people were stowing them out of the bins.”He added: “I have to admit I sort of felt physically sick when I heard people were stowing them out of the bins.”
Ridgway told the inquest he had not appreciated he needed written authorisation from a more senior officer for the “guest shoot”. Ridgway told the inquest he had not appreciated he needed written authorisation from a more senior officer for the guest shoot.
Earlier this month Captain Jonathan Price, 32, was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence over the death of 21-year-old Ranger Michael Maguire at Castlemartin. This month Captain Jonathan Price, 32, was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence over the death of a ranger, Michael Maguire, 21, at Castlemartin.
Maguire, a member of the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, was one of several soldiers who came under machine gun fire during an exercise in May 2012.Maguire, a member of the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, was one of several soldiers who came under machine gun fire during an exercise in May 2012.
Two other officers, Lt Col Richard Bell, 45, and WO Stuart Pankhurst, 40, were convicted of negligently performing a duty. The trio are expected to be sentenced on 24 July.Two other officers, Lt Col Richard Bell, 45, and WO Stuart Pankhurst, 40, were convicted of negligently performing a duty. The trio are expected to be sentenced on 24 July.
At the start of the court martial, Nigel Lickley QC, prosecuting, said soldiers on one part of the range were firing directly at those in another part of the range, who were about 1km away and would have been visible. At the start of the court martial, Nigel Lickley QC, prosecuting, said soldiers on one part of the range were firing directly at those in another part of the range, who were less than a mile away and would have been visible.
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