I've been on some crazy speed marches but this sounds insane. God bless the fallen and I hope the other Territorial makes it back to health...via the Mirror.
Weighed down by 50lb backpacks, weapons, ammunition and in full uniform, exercises on the Brecon Beacons are gruelling enough for troops at any time.Read the entire story here.
But when they are being put through their paces on the hottest day of the year, that challenge becomes even harder.
And last night, the families of two Territorial Army volunteer soldiers were left devastated after the pair died on a march as temperatures soared to 29C (84F) with health warnings issued for much of the country.
Military top brass have already ordered an inquiry into how the two men were monitored before they collapsed with exhaustion in the blistering heat. They were among six troops who fell ill during the SAS selection test, which included a tortuous speed march. One is believed to be fighting for his life in hospital.
A Special Forces source said: “This should not have happened. Questions are already being asked at the very highest level.”
Another source added: “This is a case of the people succumbing to being affected by the training that they were doing. It was particularly hot in that part of the country and they were doing an exercise that would require a lot of physical exertion. All of these men were taken ill, they were not wounded in any way.
“A typical exercise in the Brecon Beacons would involve running long distances in full camouflage uniform. Carrying heavy weights, weapons and radio packs would also be par for the course.” The troops who died on Saturday were part of a 100-strong group trying to make it into the SAS reserves.'
I've never been to Brecon Beacons but I can't even imagine the terrain. I've heard stories from Commandos talking about its the hottest, coldest, wettest, driest, flattest, most mountainous places on earth. Ask a different Commando and you get a different story. I wonder what the real deal is.
The brecon beacons is a uniquely british landscape, stark & beautiful but to the prepared its not normally that dangerous. On the day in question it was only 29°C which is nothing compared to Afgan or Iraq. What is tough is the training RM Commandos are put through which I think defines their answer.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the being accepted into SAS reserves, these are young guys who have not necesarilly served elswhere. Who will be being pushed to the limit fighting individually for a place in the regiment. I suspect the inquest will rule accidental death based upon headstrong guys unwilling to consider themselves as weakening or showing signs of weakness and pushing themselves over the edge. The recomendations will be better teaching during early training to recognise the signs of heat exhaustion with experience pased on from those whove actually served abroad.