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Wounded captain 'defied medics' Afghan defences 'unacceptable'
(about 2 hours 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 colonel has admitted shortcomings in the protection for his troops at an Afghan base where a soldier was mortally wounded.
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 Afghanistan on 11 August last year.
He told medics who treated him "let me get back out there", the inquest heard. His commanding officer, Col Stuart Carver, told an inquest that protection for his troops was "unacceptable".
Coroner David Masters said he would look into claims that there was no qualified medical officer at the base. Coroner David Masters recorded a verdict that he was unlawfully killed.
Capt Hicks was flown by helicopter to a medical facility but later died. He was awarded a posthumous Military Cross Capt Hicks, from Wokingham in Berkshire, had been serving with the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment in Afghanistan since March 2007.
His father has claimed that there was no qualified medical officer on the Inkerman base. Comrades injured
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.
"I will want to know more about the implication of the rules of engagement."
Rocket attack
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 Capt Hicks had climbed to the top of an observation platform and located at least five of enemy firing positions, with the rate of fire increasing, the inquest heard.
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 on his back but still breathing, 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'
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 then 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. Helicopter
The inquest heard Capt Hicks had suffered a ruptured artery which would have required specialist surgery within 30 minutes. Mr Masters said he found the protection for troops unacceptable and asked Col Stuart Carver whether he too found it unacceptable.
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 colonel replied: "I do".
The coroner said he would look into claims that there was no qualified medical officer at the base, after Capt Hick's father complained.
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."
Capt Hicks was flown to the Camp Bastion medical facility but later died. He was awarded a posthumous Military Cross
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".
The inquest heard Capt Hicks had suffered a ruptured artery in his chest which would have required specialist surgery within 30 minutes.
He was posthumously awarded a Military Cross for his bravery.
The coroner added that the cause of death was fragmentation wounds to the chest.
The inquest continues.The inquest continues.