Army cleared as soldier’s death deemed ‘unforeseen’

● Heart condition cited as reason for corporal’s death

The sudden death of a gifted Scottish soldier during an army fitness test was an “unforeseen tragedy” stemming from an underlying medical condition, an official report has concluded.

Corporal Josh Hoole, 26, of The Rifles, died in July last year in Brecon, mid Wales, after collapsing while on precourse training for the Platoon Sergeants’ Battle Course.

An investigation into the incident found the cause of his death was “within the definition of sudden arrhythmogenic death syndrome (SADS)” – a condition that affects the heart.

A panel found Cpl Hoole, from Ecclefechan near Lockerbie, would himself not have known of his susceptibility to the syndrome and that it was reasonable for the army not to have known about the problem.

While a number of recommendations were made for the future, the probe stressed none of the areas examined directly contributed to or aggravated the soldier’s death.

Cpl Hoole had been due to marry his fiancée this year.

He was taking part in a training session as part of a course that was described as “both mentally and physically demanding”.

Cpl Hoole collapsed about 6:30am on July 19 last year when temperatures later peaked at just above 30C.

A Ministry of Defence (MOD) service inquiry into the death was carried out by the Defence Safety Authority, with the findings now made available.

The report has not revealed the exact cause of death, but found it was “within the definition of SADS”.

It found a combination of SADS trigger factors such as exercise, heat, adrenaline levels and potentially an imbalance of blood salt levels were “contributory to this accident”, but concluded: “The SI found no aggravating fac- tors in this accident.” Writing in the report, Lieutenant General Richard Felton said: “Cpl Hoole was a physically fit, determined and capable infantry soldier.

“He was experienced, with numerous operational deployments under his belt in his eight years of service and had a promising career ahead of him.

“His sudden death ... was an unforeseen tragedy.”

The panel concluded the soldier did not die as a direct result of doing the annual fitness test.

“Cpl Hoole’s medical condition might have manifested itself similarly at any time if what he was doing caused the trigger factors to prompt SADS,” the report said.