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| Wounded captain 'defied medics' | Wounded captain 'defied medics' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A British Army captain pleaded with medics to allow him to return to battle after he was mortally wounded in Afghanistan, an inquest has heard. | A British Army captain pleaded with medics to allow him to return to battle after he was mortally wounded in Afghanistan, an inquest has heard. |
| Capt David Hicks, 26, from Berkshire, died after sustaining shrapnel wounds at the remote Inkerman base in Helmand province on 11 August last year. | Capt David Hicks, 26, from Berkshire, died after sustaining shrapnel wounds at the remote Inkerman base in Helmand province on 11 August last year. |
| He told medics who treated him "let me get back out there", the inquest heard. | He told medics who treated him "let me get back out there", the inquest heard. |
| Coroner David Masters said he would look into claims that there was no qualified medical officer at the base. | Coroner David Masters said he would look into claims that there was no qualified medical officer at the base. |
| Capt Hicks was flown by helicopter to a medical facility but later died. He was awarded a posthumous Military Cross | Capt Hicks was flown by helicopter to a medical facility but later died. He was awarded a posthumous Military Cross |
| His father has claimed that there was no qualified medical officer on the Inkerman base. | His father has claimed that there was no qualified medical officer on the Inkerman base. |
| However, the inquest heard that - while there was no doctor on the site - there were two medics, at least one of them trained in "battlefield trauma - advanced life support". | |
| Mr Masters told the hearing at Trowbridge Town Hall: "I will want to know more about the availability of medical staff at the base. I will want to know more about its protection. | Mr Masters told the hearing at Trowbridge Town Hall: "I will want to know more about the availability of medical staff at the base. I will want to know more about its protection. |
| "I will want to know more about the implication of the rules of engagement." | "I will want to know more about the implication of the rules of engagement." |
| Rocket attack | Rocket attack |
| Capt Hicks, from Wokingham, had been serving with the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment in Afghanistan since March 2007. | Capt Hicks, from Wokingham, had been serving with the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment in Afghanistan since March 2007. |
| He was commanding C "Essex" Company when the base came under a rocket attack which also left five other soldiers injured. | He was commanding C "Essex" Company when the base came under a rocket attack which also left five other soldiers injured. |
| The inquest heard Capt Hicks climbed to the top of an observation platform to determine the location of enemy firing positions | The inquest heard Capt Hicks climbed to the top of an observation platform to determine the location of enemy firing positions |
| The coroner said: "Five, at least, enemy firing positions had been identified. The rate of incoming fire was increasing." | The coroner said: "Five, at least, enemy firing positions had been identified. The rate of incoming fire was increasing." |
| There was a "massive explosion" near the platform and Capt Hicks was found lying injured but breathing on his back, Mr Masters said. | There was a "massive explosion" near the platform and Capt Hicks was found lying injured but breathing on his back, Mr Masters said. |
| 'Lost consciousness' | 'Lost consciousness' |
| Capt Hicks was then taken to the regimental aid area where, the coroner said: "He was seen to remove his mask and shout 'get me back up there', drifting in and out of consciousness." | Capt Hicks was then taken to the regimental aid area where, the coroner said: "He was seen to remove his mask and shout 'get me back up there', drifting in and out of consciousness." |
| He was taken to a helicopter landing site where he lost consciousness and the medical team tried to resuscitate him on board the aircraft, Mr Masters said. | He was taken to a helicopter landing site where he lost consciousness and the medical team tried to resuscitate him on board the aircraft, Mr Masters said. |
| The coroner added that the cause of death to be fragmentation wounds to the chest. | The coroner added that the cause of death to be fragmentation wounds to the chest. |
| The inquest heard Capt Hicks had suffered a ruptured artery which would have required specialist surgery within 30 minutes. | |
| Capt Hicks, who planned to buy a house with his girlfriend in Surrey, had been deployed on Operation Herrick 6 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, since March last year. | Capt Hicks, who planned to buy a house with his girlfriend in Surrey, had been deployed on Operation Herrick 6 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, since March last year. |
| The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |