Posted on 07/03/2018 6:45:32 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Edited on 07/03/2018 6:51:21 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Two soldiers killed while taking a colleague in an unauthorised trip in a tank may have been "showing off", an inquest has heard.
The men died after their tank exploded during a training exercise when live charges were incorrectly stored inside the armoured vehicle.
Corporals Matthew Hatfield and Darren Neilson of the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) were killed when the Challenger 2 tank burst into flames on June 14 last year.
Warrant Officer Stuart Lawson was also inside the vehicle at the time of the explosion at the Castlemartin range in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales. He survived the blast but suffered severe burns and other significant life changing injuries.
Birmingham and Solihull Coroner's Court heard today WO2 Lawson, 39, the deputy safety training officer, had requested to ride in the tank on a "guest shoot" during a live fire exercise at the range. Cpl Neilson, 31, was the tank commander and was in the turret while Cpl Hatfield, 27, was loading practice ammunition.
The inquest heard bag charges, the high-explosive ammunition, were incorrectly stowed and an air-tight seal stopping the explosive gases escaping into the tank crew’s turret was not in place before the lethal blast.
Cpl Neilson was blown from the turret by the force of the blast and emergency services were called to free the other two servicemen. Cpl Neilson and Cpl Hatfield were pronounced dead in hospital the following day. Both men were married with one child and had served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A Challenger 2 tank similar to one that Corporals Matthew Hatfield and Darren Neilson, both of the Royal Tank Regiment, died in following injuries sustained after an explosion in their tank at the Castlemartin firing ranges, Pembrokeshire, Wales, on June 14 2017. CREDIT: BEN BIRCHALL/PA
Wow. Soldiers showing off! Here, hold my ?beer?
What the heck where they drinking? I mean thinking?
Armored coffin but I still love the tank.
Jeremy in the Rover against the Challenger is still a favorite Top Gear segment.
Too bad they didn’t have a deputy safety training officer on board. He would have stopped the unsafe practices of incorrectly stowing the high-explosive bag charges and would have made sure the air-tight seal to the crew’s turret was in place. If only...
the deputy safety training officer, had requested to ride in the tank
I love tanks, but they kill people.
They will kill the crew just as easily as they will kill the enemy.
A 31 year-old corporal? Really? Is there something different about UK ranks?
Maybe joined later in life.
Not much different they are both NATO OR-4 equivalent. Not sure maybe he joined late?
British military follows a rather unique tradition in that members can choose 1 of 2 paths. Either they wish to compete and seek higher promotion or they can choose to stay at their current rank for their entire enlistment.
Both men were married with one child and had served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Were these two tankers married to each other? or is the author simply poor at writing?
“A 31 year-old corporal? Really? Is there something different about UK ranks?”
There is. After 6-8 years in service and showing an ability to lead, a lance-corporal ... Link below. In the Marine Corps (resembles British Army through Sergeant), and depending on occupational specialty, Corporal can be attained in 2-4 years...again depending on MOS.
https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/our-people/ranks/
KYPD
At least they didn’t blame it on a homosexual committing suicide in the turret.
“Hold my pint.”
England; don’t know how to write English...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.