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Afghan defences 'unacceptable' | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
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 Afghanistan on 11 August last year. | |
His commanding officer, Col Stuart Carver, told an inquest that protection for his troops was "unacceptable". | |
Coroner David Masters recorded a verdict that he was unlawfully killed. | |
Capt Hicks, from Wokingham in Berkshire, had been serving with the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment in Afghanistan since March 2007. | |
Comrades injured | |
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. |
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. | |
There was a "massive explosion" near the platform and Capt Hicks was found lying injured on his back but still breathing, Mr Masters said. | |
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 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. | |
Helicopter | |
Mr Masters said he found the protection for troops unacceptable and asked Col Stuart Carver whether he too found it unacceptable. | |
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. |