Army could have done more to stop soldier dying from heat, says coroner

Inquest hears risk to Jason Smith, who died in Iraq in 2003, would have been reduced if policy on heat illness was clear

Army chiefs could have done more to make sure soldiers were protected against the effects of soaring temperatures, a coroner has concluded after hearing the case of a reservist who died after suffering heat stroke in Iraq.

Jason Smith, a 32-year-old member of the Territorial Army, collapsed and died while he and colleagues tried to protect power and fuel installations as temperatures rose to over 50C (122F).

The Oxfordshire assistant coroner Alison Thompson said the risk to Smith, who died in August 2003, would have been reduced if the policy on heat illness was clear, including information about the amount of water troops needed to drink.

She said: “Information and briefing to soldiers on hydration was inconsistent and the advice … given to all soldiers inadequate for the conditions in Iraq. Commanders and medics were largely unaware of the formal policy on heat illness.”

The coroner said that chances for commanders to step in were missed. “When climatic conditions deteriorated and the number of heat casualties increased, there was a missed opportunity to intervene,” she said.

Thompson also flagged up that the soldiers were not equipped with a thermometer they should have had at the stadium in al-Amarah in southern Iraq where Smith was based. If they had this kit, it would have “informed working patterns and the need for rest”.

Smith’s mother, Catherine, has long campaigned to find out the truth of what happened to her son. She was dissatisfied with a previous inquest which took place in 2006 and fought to have a second hearing.

She said she was pleased with the coroner’s conclusions. “I can live again now and begin to grieve properly,” she said afterwards. Her long battle has involved a change in the law – soldiers are now considered to have the same right to life under the Human Rights Act as civilians.

The fresh inquest in Oxford heard that the troops were operating in the most challenging of conditions. As temperatures rose Smith saw a medic on four to five occasions in the two weeks before his death. He was advised to rehydrate and rest but was not referred on for further treatment.

On the afternoon before he died he reported to a medic and was told to rest. That evening he deployed to a power station and next day he twice took part in patrols to guard a petrol station. This involved him spending time in intense heat in a Saxon armoured personnel carrier.

After returning to base he was found collapsed in a corridor at 6pm as he crawled to find help. His body was hot and dry and he suffered a fit as he was taken to hospital, where he suffered a cardiac arrest and died.

The coroner said that at the time of his deployment the assessment of combat fitness for TA soldiers was “not as robust as for regulars” but she said Smith was …read more