The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
FORT GEORGE SOLDIER SHOT DEAD
A north soldier has been shot dead during an Army exercise in England.
The man suffered a fatal wound to the head during live firing training in Northumberland.
It is believed he was one of the Black Watch troops based at Fort George near Inverness.
It is understood he may be from Moray.
The soldier – serving with the Royal Regiment of Scotland – was killed at the Otterburn Army training area during a night exercise.
The Ministry of Defence has not yet identified him.
But 400 soldiers from the Black Watch battalion were travelling south to take part in the live firing and combined arms exercise Wessex Storm at Otterburn and then Salisbury Plain.
The battalion travelled south on Thursday in 70 Foxhound and R WMIK vehicles to start training for a new role as light mechanised infantry.
Police in Northumbria said the soldier died after suffering a “serious head wound”.
Locals in Ardersier were also aware of the incident and one shop assistant said she spoke to three soldiers who said they served with the man who died.
Yesterday, a security guard at the Fort George base said he was unable to confirm any details.
An MoD spokesman said the Defence Safety Authority was investigating.
He added: “Emergency services attended and found the male soldier had received a serious head wound. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
“Police will be working with the Ministry of Defence to establish the exact circumstances of the incident and a cordon is currently in place. Military officials have informed the soldier’s next of kin.”
Armed Forces Minister Mike Penning said: “My thoughts are with the soldier’s family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time.
“The safety of our personnel is our absolute priority and, while deaths in training don’t happen often, any death is a tragedy.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This is a tragic incident and my deepest condolences go to the family, friends and colleagues of the soldier who has died. Our armed forces do a difficult and dangerous job at all times, and this is another stark reminder of that. My thoughts are with all who loved this brave soldier.”
Retired Army major and Inverness councillor Carolyn Caddick said: “I don’t know the circumstances, but clearly this is tragic. It’s always tragic when soldiers are killed in training.
“It shouldn’t happen but occasionally it does because you train for war and training can’t always be 100% safe.”
The tragedy happened at around 11.30pm on Monday, little more than a month after another soldier died while on a training exercise at Brecon in Wales on the hottest day of the year. Joshua Hoole, from Ecclefechan near Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway, died on July 19 while training for the platoon sergeants’ battle course.
The 26-year-old, who was based at the Infantry Training Centre at Catterick in Yorkshire, collapsed after taking part in a fitness test near the Dering Lines infantry training centre, where temperatures later peaked at just above 30C.
Corporal Hoole died just three months after the Commons defence select committee published a report calling for the MoD to become liable for prosecution for the deaths of armed forces personnel.
The report found that since the start of 2000, 134 military personnel had died in training exercises – 89 from the Army, 22 from the RAF, 15 Royal Marines and eight from the Royal Navy. Three other soldiers died while taking part in an SAS training exercise in the Brecon Beacons on one of the hottest days of 2013.