Soldier killed after tank overturns on exercise
ASOLDIER who was killed when a tank overturned during a military training exercise has been named by his regiment as Jethro Watson-Pickering.
Private Watson-Pickering died when an armoured vehicle flipped and hit a tree near the village of Enford on Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire.
The 23-year-old, from Boosbeck, Redcar, North Yorkshire, was part of a crew operating the vehicle in a training area when the tragedy happened on Friday.
It took several hours for the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to free the soldiers because of the presence of live ammunition on board.
Pte Watson-Pickering was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Yorkshire Regiment said in a statement yesterday: “We very much regret to announce the death on Friday of Pte Jethro Watson-Pickering, of 1YORKS.
“He was from Boosbeck, Redcar and Cleveland and was deployed on exercise on Salisbury Plain.
“The thoughts and prayers of the regimental family are with his family.”
At the height of the incident, around a dozen police officers – from Wiltshire Police and the Ministry of Defence Police – were in attendance.
Wiltshire Police, the Army and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating the circumstances surrounding the soldier’s death.
A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said on Saturday: “We are investigating the circumstances following the death of a 23-year-old soldier at midday yesterday.
“He was part of a crew operating an armoured vehicle and was taking part in a military exercise on Salisbury Plain Training Area near the village of Enford.
“This is now a joint investigation between Wiltshire Police, the Army and the Health and Safety Executive.
“Our thoughts are with the soldier’s family and friends at this difficult time and we would ask that their privacy is respected”.
A South Western Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call to an incident in the Salisbury area at 11.46 on Friday 15th October.
“We dispatched multiple resources including two double crewed ambulances, air ambulance and a critical care paramedic before conveying the patient to Salisbury Hospital.”
The Ministry of Defence said: “It is with sadness that we can confirm the death of a soldier on Salisbury Plain Training Area. Wiltshire Police are investigating and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further. The cause of death will be determined by the coroner.”
Devizes MP Danny Kruger said: “I was very sorry to hear of the death of a soldier on Salisbury Plain during training near Enford.
“My sincere condolences to the soldier’s family and to his comrades, and my thanks to the police and fire service for their prompt attendance at the scene.
“While thankfully rare, it is vital that all serious accidents that take place during military training exercises are comprehensively investigated.
“We owe so much to the young men and women who risk their lives for our safety and we must do everything we can to keep them safe as well.”
According to the MoD’s Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) newsletter for October 2021 published on Gov.UK, the army is running operation Ex Iron Storm.
The exercise will see “large numbers of armoured vehicles manoeuvring across all of SPTA both day and night”.
It stated: “SPTA will be in constant use both day, night and at the weekends in order that users can achieve their training objects.”