Heatstroke soldier's mother says 'lessons may not have been learned'

Off By Sharon Black

A second inquest into the death in 2003 of Private Jason Smith will also shed light on the deaths of three soldiers on an SAS selection exercise in the Brecon Beacons in July

The mother of a Territorial Army soldier who died after suffering heatstroke a decade ago has warned that the deaths of three reservists during a gruelling SAS test this summer suggests lessons have not been learned.

Speaking before a second inquest into the death of her son, Jason, Catherine Smith said she hoped finally to find out exactly what led to his death in searing temperatures in Iraq in 2003.

At an earlier inquest, a coroner criticised the way the army had prepared reservists for the heat and how Jason had been dealt with after collapsing. The second hearing, which begins on Monday, was ordered because the Ministry of Defence failed to provide important documents before the original inquest.

Next week’s proceedings will be watched carefully by the families of the three men who collapsed and died as they tried out for the SAS in the Brecon Beacons, south Wales, in July.

Like Smith, who died aged 32, they were fit, experienced reservists. Detectives are continuing to interview almost 100 soldiers who were involved in the exercise to establish if any criminal offences was committed and the trio’s inquest is likely to take place next year.

Smith said she hoped her son’s new inquest in Oxford would establish if lessons had been learned since he died and if more action was required:

“Jason knew he could die on active service and I accept this. I hope this new inquest will finally be an opportunity to get the answers I was [previously] denied, and will ensure the failings [that] led to my son’s death will be remedied so that similar tragedies can be avoided.

“Reaching a second inquest into my beloved son’s death has been a long and painful process. I’ve long felt that the true information surrounding Jason’s death has been purposely withheld from me by the Ministry of Defence.

“The first inquest was traumatic, although I was being told by the army that there was nothing suspicious about Jason’s death I could see that they were not giving me the full picture.

“No one should ever have to battle in the way that I have for the truth. My dearest wish is that the inquest will finally give me [that] and bring a glimmer of hope for families in a similar position.”

Clair Hilder, Smith’s solicitor, said the fatalities in Wales made Jason Smith’s inquest even more important. “It is vital that the inquest looks at not just what happened to Jason but also whether in the 10 years since Jason’s death procedures have been put in place to properly protect soldiers from the effects of the heat. This is particularly important given further recent fatalities”.

Smith, a mechanic who had been in the TA for 10 years, was sent to Iraq attached to the 1st Battalion the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. …read more