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05-27-2010, 09:20 PM
Bomb disposal expert killed after defusing 13 bombs in 36 hours
Tom Coghlan, Defence Correspondent
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Captain Daniel Shepherd
An inquest into the death of a bomb disposal expert decorated for his bravery in Afghanistan has heard that he defused 13 bombs under sporadic enemy fire during the 36 hours leading to his death.
Captain Daniel Shepherd’s inquest follows the broadcast of a BBC One Panorama documentary on Monday in which the Army’s senior bomb disposal officer questioned the numbers of personnel available for Afghanistan and the pressures they faced. Captain Shepherd, 28, from Lincoln, was awarded the George Medal posthumously. He died while defusing a bomb on July 20 last year. The “unbelievably courageous” soldier, from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, the Royal Logistic Corps, was killed as he tried to defuse a pressure-plated device, the inquest at the Cathedral Centre in Lincoln heard.
The temperature on the day he died was between 45C and 50C (113-122F), the coroner was told. This would have made it impossible for Captain Shepherd to wear a full protective suit and operate freely. Instead, he walked 40 metres to the device in standard body armour.
However, his colleagues told the inquest that a lack of protective clothing and specialist equipment did not contribute to his death and nor was Captain Shepherd unduly fatigued at the time.
Breaking down in tears, Corporal Matthew Ashley, who was metres away when the explosion happened, said: “We were like brothers when we were talking. After he had confirmed it was a device he laid down on his front. I asked, ‘What have you got?’ and he said it was a bog standard device.” Moments later there was an “almighty explosion”, which killed Captain Shepherd instantly.
In Monday’s Panorama programme Colonel Bob Seddon said there were concerns that a lack of qualified personnel had heaped additional pressure on bomb disposal teams. It was later announced that he had resigned from the Army and will leave in January.
The programme, made by Christina Schmid, whose husband Olaf was killed disposing of Taleban bombs last year in Helmand, revealed that in 2002 the Ministry of Defence suspended recruitment of bomb disposal personnel for 18 months.
Captain Shepherd’s inquest continues.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7138512.ece
Tom Coghlan, Defence Correspondent
Recommend? (1)
Captain Daniel Shepherd
An inquest into the death of a bomb disposal expert decorated for his bravery in Afghanistan has heard that he defused 13 bombs under sporadic enemy fire during the 36 hours leading to his death.
Captain Daniel Shepherd’s inquest follows the broadcast of a BBC One Panorama documentary on Monday in which the Army’s senior bomb disposal officer questioned the numbers of personnel available for Afghanistan and the pressures they faced. Captain Shepherd, 28, from Lincoln, was awarded the George Medal posthumously. He died while defusing a bomb on July 20 last year. The “unbelievably courageous” soldier, from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, the Royal Logistic Corps, was killed as he tried to defuse a pressure-plated device, the inquest at the Cathedral Centre in Lincoln heard.
The temperature on the day he died was between 45C and 50C (113-122F), the coroner was told. This would have made it impossible for Captain Shepherd to wear a full protective suit and operate freely. Instead, he walked 40 metres to the device in standard body armour.
However, his colleagues told the inquest that a lack of protective clothing and specialist equipment did not contribute to his death and nor was Captain Shepherd unduly fatigued at the time.
Breaking down in tears, Corporal Matthew Ashley, who was metres away when the explosion happened, said: “We were like brothers when we were talking. After he had confirmed it was a device he laid down on his front. I asked, ‘What have you got?’ and he said it was a bog standard device.” Moments later there was an “almighty explosion”, which killed Captain Shepherd instantly.
In Monday’s Panorama programme Colonel Bob Seddon said there were concerns that a lack of qualified personnel had heaped additional pressure on bomb disposal teams. It was later announced that he had resigned from the Army and will leave in January.
The programme, made by Christina Schmid, whose husband Olaf was killed disposing of Taleban bombs last year in Helmand, revealed that in 2002 the Ministry of Defence suspended recruitment of bomb disposal personnel for 18 months.
Captain Shepherd’s inquest continues.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7138512.ece