Heat-Stricken Soldier Allowed to Continue on Special Forces March Despite Medical Withdrawal

A British soldier who was taken out of a grueling 16-mile special forces selection march due to heat-related illness was later ordered back into the exercise by a medic, a coroner's inquest was told. The soldier, known only as 1W, claimed that the medic told him "You don't want to die" before ordering him to continue with the march, despite experiencing dizziness and confusion. This incident is part of a broader inquest into the deaths of three army reservists who collapsed with hyperthermia on one of the hottest days of 2013.

Key Takeaways:

• A heat-stricken soldier was initially withdrawn from a special forces selection march due to medical grounds in the Brecon Beacons.
• The soldier claimed that a medic told him "You don't want to die" before ordering him to continue with the march.
• The inquest heard that the soldier was unaware that two of the five checkpoints on his route would have no water supplies.
• The soldier had previously joined the reserve army in 2012.
• The inquest is investigating the deaths of three army reservists who collapsed with hyperthermia on one of the hottest days of 2013.
• The hearing continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
• The special forces selection march was a 16-mile exercise in the Brecon Beacons.

Statistics:

• The inquest is investigating the deaths of three army reservists.
• The soldier who was withdrawn from the march had been experiencing dizziness and confusion.
• The medic told the soldier that he "probably could" complete the march but "won't complete in time".
• The soldier had been a part-time member of the reserve army since 2012.

Sources:

• The Press Association
• The coroner's inquest