Soldier dies in training

A SOLDIER has been shot dead in a live firing night exercise, the Army revealed yesterday.

The Royal Regiment of Scotland soldier suffered a head wound around 11.15pm on Monday and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shot

The infantry soldier’s next of kin have been informed following his death at Otterburn Training Area in Northumberland.

Northumbria police and MoD accident investigators have begun separate inquiries.

The MoD was unable to say whether any other personnel were involved. The soldier was on a fire and manoeuvre exercise in which a pair take turns to provide covering fire while the other advances.

He is the 10th British soldier to have died on live firing exercise since 2000.

Infantry soldiers take part in at least two live firing exercises a year, rising to as many as 20 in preparation for operations.

The exercises have extensive safety measures, including supervisors able to order participants not to fire.

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.

“MoD accident investigators are looking into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.”

Tragedy

Earlier this year the Defence Select Committee found that 134 military personnel from all three services had died in training exercises since the start of 2000.

Last month 26-year-old Cpl Joshua Hoole from Ecclefechan, near Lockerbie, died after taking a fitness test in Brecon, Wales.