Troops held over soldier's death

[Drone_pilot]

Four serving soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

It follows the death of a 23-year-old serviceman on Monday morning in
Tidworth, said Wiltshire police.


BBC Read More (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5143584.stm)

[John A Silkstone]

These sort of headlines don’t do the army any good. On top of that, the report doesn’t really give much information.

It is always sorrowful when a soldier dies through exercise. But what was he doing, BFTs (Battle Fitness Test)? And were the four involved assisting him to complete the test?

If one looks back on your training days and other tests, the PTI (Physical Training Instructor) would push you like hell to get you through the test. These days they call it bullying, but what the PTI is trying to do is to get you through the test so that you will not be discharged as being unfit for the job.

My sympathies go to the soldier’s family and also the families of the men being investigated. For they are the ones who suffer the most over these type of situations.

Silky

[John A Silkstone]

A fifth man as been arrested. It is now believed that Pte Williams had been in detention and was made to partake in some strenuous disciplinary exercise, as a part of his punishment.

Silky

[John A Silkstone]

Thinking back over this incident , I think the trouble is that lack of medical care in todays army.

I started my military service in the Artillery in 1956 and in those days we didn’t do BFTs (Battle Fitness Test) we did a 10 mile route march in Full Field Service Order (about 80 pounds or today 40 kilos) plus carrying your weapon, all within two hours, and at the end of the march you had to fire your weapon on the range.

Today the BFT tell you that you can do in a given distance within a given time, and that is all.

In 1962 I transferred to the Medics and my first posting was Tidworth Hospital. But alas, there are no longer any Military hospitals in this country. The time it took for this soldier to be transported to Salisbury which is twenty miles away, could have been the difference in keeping him alive had Tidworth Hospital still been there.

Silky