News

Inquest concludes a tank barrel flaw was responsible for deaths

Published

8 years ago

July 17, 2018

A CORONER has reached the conclusion that a fatal explosion in a British Army tank was the result of a design flaw in the gun barrel, allowing highly unstable gases to escape into a tank crew’s turret.

The incident at Castlemartin Range on June 14, 2017, resulted in the deaths of Royal Tank Regiment corporals Matthew Hatfield, 27, and Darren Neilson, 31.

Two others were injured in the blast involving a Challenger 2 tank.

Louise Hunt, the Senior Coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, said the ‘main cause’ was that the gun could still be fired even when a key component, the bolt vent axial (BVA), which prevents 3,000C explosive gases from entering the crew turret, was missing.

She said: “The main cause of this incident was the tank being able to fire without the BVA assembly being present.
“During production and manufacture of the gun, this hazard was not adequately considered or investigated and therefore the ability of the gun to fire without the BVA present … went undetected.”

Ms Hunt went on to add that there were ‘other issues which contributed to the incident’, citing a lack of written procedures regarding equipment drills and communication, specifically the handing over of vehicles to new crews and the handling of the BVA.

These conclusions were reached following a lengthy inquest detailing the events.

It had previously been heard how the air-tight BVA was not in place at the time of the fatal blast. The inquest also found that there had not been a set procedure to check for said equipment, as well as an unknown flaw in the system which allowed the gun to fire without the BVA in place. Four high explosive ammunition bags, referred to as ‘bag charges’, which are used to propel the shell when firing, were found to be ‘incorrectly stowed’.

The Coroner concluded: “Failure to correctly stow charges caused a secondary explosion following failure of the breech block due to the absence of the BVA assembly, and the practice of un-stowed charges was routine.”

Ms Hunt heard several soldiers provide evidence that charges were sometimes stored outside of the heat-proof storage bins within the turret, notably referring to storage ‘on a soldier’s lap’.

Tank Commander that day was Cpl Darren Neilson, a father-of-one from Preston, Lancashire. He was thrown from the turret during the blast, while Cpl Hatfield, also a father, from Amesbury, Wiltshire, was loading ammunition. Both were evacuated from the scene of the blast, but died later of the injuries sustained.

The other two passengers, Warrant Officer Stuart Lawson and Trooper Michael Warren, were injured but survived.

Cpls Neilson and Hatfield were both highly-trained gunnery instructors that had served with the Royal Tank Regiment in Tidworth, Wiltshire, as well as seeing active combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan. They had taken WO Lawson for a ‘guest shoot’, as he had asked permission to go out and fire a tank.

Yet the inquest heard, that according to Army rules, the Royal Tank Regiment Commanding Officer Lt Col Simon Ridgway was supposed to have written authorisation from a more senior officer for the guest shoot, but he told the coroner that he ‘had not appreciated that at the time’.

Lt Col Ridgway also ‘failed’ to recognise a culture incorrectly storing high explosive charges in the tank turrets. When asked if the incident represented a failure of his leadership during his evidence, Lt Col Ridgway, a veteran of Iraq, said: “I think I failed to identify it was happening. I’m not sure it’s a failure of leadership.

“I have to admit I sort of felt physically sick when I heard people were stowing them out of the bins.

“If for one moment I suspected they were storing them incorrectly, I would have been furious.”

The inquest went on to hear that Lt Col Ridgway didn’t know that the ‘guest shoot’ was happening that day, and so had not passed down his order for WO Lawson to ‘sit on his hands’, and make sure to leave firing to the tank commander.

The inquest found that a basic whiteboard was used to assign crews and tank activities, but it was not routinely updated. The Army said that drill sand training procedure has been updated since the blast.

A report containing three recommendations has been sent out to the Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems, which had designed and constructed the main battle tank of the Army, with the aim of preventing further accidents.

Charity

Bassetts Motor Group donates electric van to support lifesaving charity

Published

3 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

BASSETTS Motor Group has donated an electric van to support the vital work of Wales Air Ambulance, providing a major boost to the charity’s day-to-day fundraising operations.

The South West Wales-based company has gifted a Citroën e-Berlingo for use until the end of the year — marking the first time the business has made a significant gift in kind to the charity.

Staff from Bassetts recently visited the charity’s headquarters in Dafen to hand over the vehicle, where they met with a medic and were given an insight into the critical care delivered by the service, including a tour of a rapid response car.

Ashley White, of Bassetts Motor Group, said: “Being a South West Wales-based business, we’ve seen first-hand the incredible work that Wales Air Ambulance does.

“We knew the charity relies heavily on fundraising and donations, so when we were looking for a cause to support, it felt like a natural choice.”

The van has been branded with the charity’s logo and information on how the public can support its lifesaving lottery.

Explaining the choice of vehicle, Ashley added: “We’re strong advocates of electric vehicles. Getting people behind the wheel often changes perceptions and helps overcome misconceptions about going electric.

“Citroën offered us a deal that made it possible for us to provide the van in this way, and we felt it would be perfectly suited to the charity’s fundraising needs.”

The Wales Air Ambulance delivers consultant-led emergency care across the country, bringing hospital-level treatment directly to patients and, where necessary, transferring them swiftly to the most appropriate specialist centres. This approach can save critical time and significantly improve survival and recovery outcomes.

The service operates through a unique partnership between the charity and the NHS, with the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service providing highly skilled consultants and critical care practitioners who work onboard its aircraft and rapid response vehicles.

As a pan-Wales service, its crews cover the entire country, delivering emergency care wherever it is needed.

Nina Rice, Head of Fundraising High Value Partnerships at Wales Air Ambulance, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Bassetts Motor Group for this generous gift in kind.

“The use of the electric vehicle will make a real difference to our fundraising efforts, helping us reach more communities and raise vital funds.

“As a local company, Bassetts understands just how important our service is to people across Wales. This support will directly help us continue our lifesaving work.”

The charity must raise £13 million every year to keep its helicopters in the air and its rapid response vehicles on the road.

For more information, visit the Bassetts Motor Group website.

Community

Residents return home after major Carmarthenshire fire as probe continues

Published

3 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS forced to evacuate their homes following a major fire in Kidwelly have now been allowed to return, as emergency services confirm the scene has been stood down.

The blaze broke out at a property on Lady Street in the early hours of Tuesday (March 24), with emergency services called at around 4:20am. Several neighbouring homes were evacuated as a precaution while firefighters tackled the incident and assessed the safety of surrounding buildings.

In the latest update, Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that officers have now left the scene and displaced residents were able to return to their properties on Thursday evening (March 26), following work to make the affected building safe.

The incident caused significant disruption in the town, with Lady Street remaining closed while further work is carried out to ensure the safety of the highway and surrounding structures.

Emergency services, including Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, were on the scene for several hours during the initial response. Crews were understood to have dealt with a serious property fire, prompting a large-scale emergency operation in the centre of the town.

While the immediate danger has now passed, authorities have confirmed that investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses or anyone with relevant information to come forward.

Officers are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have CCTV, doorbell, or dashcam footage from the area between 11:00pm on Monday (March 23) and 4:00am on Tuesday (March 24).

Anyone with information is urged to contact police quoting reference 027 of 24/3, either via 101, online, or anonymously through Crimestoppers.

Authorities thanked residents and the wider community for their patience during the incident, which saw homes evacuated and roads closed while emergency services carried out their work.

Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.

Community

West Wales fire crews sharpen skills in major training exercise

Published

4 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FIREFIGHTERS from across west Wales took part in a large-scale training exercise designed to sharpen operational skills and strengthen teamwork.

Crews from the Western Division of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the development day at Earlswood Training Centre on Sunday (March 22).

Personnel travelled from stations including Carmarthen, Tumble, Newcastle Emlyn, Milford Haven, Narberth and Pontyates to take part in the exercise.

Realistic scenarios

Firefighters were put through a series of realistic scenarios designed to reflect incidents they may face on duty.

These included house fires with people reported inside, kitchen fires, and multi-vehicle road traffic collisions. Crews also carried out specialist line rescue exercises as part of the day.

Support staff played the roles of casualties and members of the public, adding to the realism and allowing firefighters to test their responses in lifelike conditions.