Don’t blame Army for my son’s death

THE father of a soldier who died on a training exercise defended the Army yesterday.

Cpl Josh Hoole collapsed during a run on the hottest day of the year in the Brecon Beacons.

But his dad Phillip, 54, an ® ex-sergeant major, said soldiers should not be “wrapped in cotton wool” and the Army was not to blame.

He said: “Josh was doing his job and he knew the risks.

“Being a soldier ... means you have to fight in various countries in extreme climatic conditions.”

The cause of Josh’s death remains a mystery.

The 26-year-old’s funeral will be held today in Ecclefechan, Dumfries and Galloway.