Flawed' training contributed to officer's death
An Army officer's accidental death during a training exercise was contributed to by "flawed" training and a faulty alarm system, a coroner has concluded.
Second Lt Max George's Death
Second Lt Max George, 26, died on Salisbury Plain after struggling with a piece of "snagged" kit as he left a Warrior armoured vehicle, which then reversed into him, an inquest into his death heard.
Victoria Neale, who represented George's family, said the inquest provided his loved ones with "important answers" and offered a "degree of accountability".
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) promised to respond to the points raised during the inquest and had already made several safety improvements.
During the inquest, it was heard that George, from Durham, was by the open rear door of the Warrior on 21 June 2022 when the exercise commander gave the order to reverse the armoured vehicle. The 26-year-old died at the scene near Everleigh from multiple traumatic injuries.
Coroner's Conclusion
Recording a narrative conclusion, Coroner Ian Singleton stated that the training of the student commander who gave the command was flawed.
Brigadier Giles Malec, head of the Army Safety Group, acknowledged "the seriousness of the failures which led to Max's tragic death" and expressed a commitment to rectifying any further failures identified. He extended an apology to the family on the second day of the inquest.
Warrior vehicles are no longer permitted to reverse with the rear door open, and visual checks are now required before any movement.
Additional Details
- The inquest revealed that an alarm on the Warrior had been faulty since 2018.
- If the alarm had been functioning correctly, a "clunking noise" from George's exit might have alerted the commander, preventing the tragedy.
- There was a lack of effective maintenance regime for the vehicle that struck George, and it was not commonly used for troop disembarkation.
- The MOD plans to replace its entire Warrior fleet from 2027.
- The coroner will decide later on whether to issue a prevention of future deaths note.
Tributes to Second Lt George
George was a well-respected officer, earning the Queen's Medal for best cadet upon graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. His commanding officer, Lt Col Jim Hadfield OBE, described him as "a star that burned bright" with "selfless compassion."
A graduate of Durham School, George studied Russian at Newcastle University and obtained a Distinction in his Masters in Eastern European and Eurasian Studies with Russian at Glasgow University. As part of the 5 Rifles, he was participating in Exercise Combat Spirit at the time of the incident.