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Soldiers describe death of SAS candidate half a kilometre from end of test march | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Soldiers have described their desperate attempts to save the life of an SAS candidate who was struck down by heat illness just half a kilometre from the end of a gruelling test march in the Brecon Beacons, south Wales. | Soldiers have described their desperate attempts to save the life of an SAS candidate who was struck down by heat illness just half a kilometre from the end of a gruelling test march in the Brecon Beacons, south Wales. |
Lance Corporal Craig Roberts was found collapsed at a notorious mountain spot nicknamed “VW Valley” – short for voluntary withdrawal – so called because so many participants in the SAS entry event give up there. | Lance Corporal Craig Roberts was found collapsed at a notorious mountain spot nicknamed “VW Valley” – short for voluntary withdrawal – so called because so many participants in the SAS entry event give up there. |
The first soldier to find Roberts, identified only as 1D, said on Thursday that after finding his colleague he activated his “man down” button and gave him emergency first aid as he waited for medics to arrive. | The first soldier to find Roberts, identified only as 1D, said on Thursday that after finding his colleague he activated his “man down” button and gave him emergency first aid as he waited for medics to arrive. |
Soldiers, army staff and civilian paramedics spent around two hours working on Roberts, 24, on the hillside but finally had to admit defeat. 1D said he covered him with his poncho. | Soldiers, army staff and civilian paramedics spent around two hours working on Roberts, 24, on the hillside but finally had to admit defeat. 1D said he covered him with his poncho. |
Roberts and two other reservists, Lance Corporal Edward Maher and Corporal James Dunsby, both 31, died after suffering hyperthermia during the 16-mile test in July 2013. At least seven more reservists suffered heat-related injuries. | Roberts and two other reservists, Lance Corporal Edward Maher and Corporal James Dunsby, both 31, died after suffering hyperthermia during the 16-mile test in July 2013. At least seven more reservists suffered heat-related injuries. |
Giving evidence from behind a screen on the fourth day of the inquest at Solihull, West Midlands, 1D said he was only about half a kilometre from the finish line when he heard a “heavy breathing noise”. | Giving evidence from behind a screen on the fourth day of the inquest at Solihull, West Midlands, 1D said he was only about half a kilometre from the finish line when he heard a “heavy breathing noise”. |
He said: “I could see someone lying down. I rushed up as fast as I could. I was shouting: ‘Are you all right mate?’ There was no answer.” | He said: “I could see someone lying down. I rushed up as fast as I could. I was shouting: ‘Are you all right mate?’ There was no answer.” |
1D found Roberts lying on his stomach across the hillside. “He was making a convulsing sound and vomiting.” He activated Roberts’ emergency button on his tracker device. The court heard that this button was activated at 3.31pm. | 1D found Roberts lying on his stomach across the hillside. “He was making a convulsing sound and vomiting.” He activated Roberts’ emergency button on his tracker device. The court heard that this button was activated at 3.31pm. |
He said Roberts was pale, hot and not responding. “He then stopped breathing completely,” said 1D. A second soldier, 1E, arrived and helped, followed by military medics who had responded to the man down alert. | He said Roberts was pale, hot and not responding. “He then stopped breathing completely,” said 1D. A second soldier, 1E, arrived and helped, followed by military medics who had responded to the man down alert. |
Paramedics arrived at 4.46pm and the air ambulance at 5.05pm. “In total we were trying probably for two hours to get him back,” said 1D. | Paramedics arrived at 4.46pm and the air ambulance at 5.05pm. “In total we were trying probably for two hours to get him back,” said 1D. |
1D said he had been shocked by the incident. Asked why it had happened, he said: “I just think that the weather that day was freakish. We weren’t used to those conditions.” | 1D said he had been shocked by the incident. Asked why it had happened, he said: “I just think that the weather that day was freakish. We weren’t used to those conditions.” |
Related: SAS test officer did not consider 'do or die' attitude of candidates, inquest hears | Related: SAS test officer did not consider 'do or die' attitude of candidates, inquest hears |
He added that he was expecting help to come “pretty quickly” after he had pressed the man down button and his impression was that it was taking a long time. “I was looking for a helicopter to arrive and wondering why it wasn’t coming,” he said. | He added that he was expecting help to come “pretty quickly” after he had pressed the man down button and his impression was that it was taking a long time. “I was looking for a helicopter to arrive and wondering why it wasn’t coming,” he said. |
The second soldier who helped Roberts, 1E, told the inquest the candidates’ determination to finish no matter how terrible they felt may have contributed to the tragedy. | The second soldier who helped Roberts, 1E, told the inquest the candidates’ determination to finish no matter how terrible they felt may have contributed to the tragedy. |
“A factor is the determination not to get stopped at any checkpoints,” he said. “No matter how bad you’re feeling you smile and joke as you go through. You do your best to hide that you are in trouble. You tell them you are enjoying it, you’re having fun.” | “A factor is the determination not to get stopped at any checkpoints,” he said. “No matter how bad you’re feeling you smile and joke as you go through. You do your best to hide that you are in trouble. You tell them you are enjoying it, you’re having fun.” |
The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |
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