Another day, another tragic death of one of our brothers
Anguish as Colum, 33, takes his life
ANOTHER Army veteran has taken his life – a day after a Scottish soldier MP condemned defence chiefs for ignoring a soldier suicide epidemic.
Colum Siddons was found dead by police on Tuesday. He is the seventh serving or former soldier to end his life in recent weeks.
The Daily Record revealed earlier this month that a sixth soldier or veteran had taken their own life in eight days. They include Scots Jamie Davies, Alistair McLeish and Ryan Smith.
Colum, 33, from Weymouth, Dorset, was reported missing on Monday and a body was discovered in a wood yesterday.
A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “Although his body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be Colum and his family have been informed.” The death is not being treated as suspicious.
It sparked a flurry of online tributes. Veteran Jeff Williams wrote: “We have lost another brother. He was no longer in a position to give any more against a tide of frustration and betrayal.
“Troops, I’m pleading with you, this is not the solution, the mess left behind is unbearable pain for your loved ones.”
Former infantry sergeant Calum MacLeod, of the charity Who Dares Cares, said: “If we had a serial killer going round destroying lives there would be uproar but the powers that be sit on their hands and do nothing.”
The news came a day after Army reservist Paul Sweeney, MP for Glasgow North East, accused defence chiefs of failing to support our troops.
He said: “It is like a ticking time bomb. These deaths are only the ones we know about and may well be the tip of the iceberg.”