News

Inquest concludes a tank barrel flaw was responsible for deaths

Published

6 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.

Crime

Dyfed-Powys Police pays out hundreds of thousands in compensation claims

Published

16 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

NEW figures reveal Dyfed-Powys Police has paid out £324,000 in compensation over the past five years, following nearly 200 claims made by members of the public.

A Freedom of Information requests show a whopping 186 claims were lodged against the force between 2019 and 2024, with compensation payments peaking in 2021/2022 at £138,111. Claims included allegations of unlawful arrest, financial losses, personal injury, and failure in duty of care.

In 2019/2020, 36 claims were made, with nine settled. The following year, 22 claims were lodged, with nine again resulting in payouts. Numbers rose to 38 claims in 2021/2022, with 11 settlements, before dropping slightly in 2022/2023 to 36 claims and eight payouts. However, the most recent figures for 2023/2024 show a significant rise, with 54 claims and seven settlements.

Lucy Parker, a solicitor from JF Law, said: “Claims against police forces highlight the importance of accountability. Issues such as wrongful arrest, assault, and negligence must be addressed seriously.”

Nationally, UK police forces have paid out millions in compensation, with property damage from botched raids cited as a frequent reason.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been approached for comment.

News

Rail passengers in west Wales ‘let down’ by hundreds of train cancellations

Published

17 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RAIL passengers in west Wales are being “let down” following the cancellation of more than 650 Transport for Wales (TfW) trains on routes to Swansea and beyond in just 12 months.

Between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, a total of 654 services were cancelled, impacting key routes to Llanelli, Carmarthen, Pembroke Dock, Fishguard, and Milford Haven. The cancellations have sparked frustration among passengers and raised concerns over the reliability of rail services in the region.

Transport for Wales, which took over day-to-day rail operations from Arriva nearly seven years ago, has faced ongoing criticism for service quality. A Rail User Survey in 2023 revealed that only 72% of passengers were satisfied with TfW services, making it the worst-rated operator in the UK at the time. By comparison, Southern Railway scored 80%.

Recent surveys show some improvements. Between February and September 2024, overall satisfaction rose to 85%, with punctuality increasing to 73% and frequency to 66%. However, these numbers remain below national averages, and the situation in west Wales continues to lag behind other regions.

Passengers in west Wales have long expressed frustration over frequent delays and cancellations. One traveller recounted a 60-mile journey from Cardiff Central to Carmarthen that resulted in an overnight stay in Cardiff due to multiple delays and cancellations. Replacement buses offered little reprieve, with onward journeys stretching well into the early hours.

Peredur Owen Griffiths MS, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for Transport, criticised the situation, saying: “These statistics show that Welsh passengers are being let down. Historical underinvestment in our rail network and infrastructure has led us to this position. In order to create a Welsh rail network that works for the people of Wales, it’s vital that decisions regarding Welsh rail are made in Wales.”

Mr Griffiths added: “Only Plaid Cymru fights for the devolution of rail infrastructure to ensure we can secure consistent investment in our network and deliver reliable services.”

Despite some recent improvements in customer satisfaction, the sheer scale of cancellations highlights ongoing issues with rail services in Wales, particularly in west Wales where consistent, reliable transport remains a challenge for many commuters and travellers.

Charity

Tributes paid to former Tenby RNLI crew member Stuart Fecci

Published

17 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TENBY RNLI is mourning the loss of former Shore Crew member Stuart Fecci, who passed away recently. Stuart served aboard the Henry Comber Brown lifeboat until a tragic accident in 1988 resulted in the loss of his hand.

Despite the injury, Stuart remained a dedicated supporter of Tenby RNLI. The Fecci family has deep roots with the station, including Stuart’s son Samuel, who raised over £300 by completing the RNLI’s Mayday Mile walk in 2021.

Deputy Coxswain Jon Lewis, Stuart’s cousin who carries the Fecci name through his mother, paid tribute: “The last time I spoke to him, he greeted me in a packed Tudor Square as the larger-than-life character he was and shouted, ‘Coxswain Lewis!’ before continuing to congratulate me.”

Stuart will be deeply missed by the entire community. The thoughts of everyone at the station are with his wife Sally and his family during this difficult time.