http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...uarmour118.xml
This brave finding by Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker in the Inquest into the death of Sgt Steve Roberts must surely have great relevance to the XV179 Inquest. Mr Walker is quoted as saying "To send soldiers into a combat zone without the appropriate basic equipment is, in my view, unforgivable and inexcusable and represents a breach of trust that the soldiers have in those in Government.
"This Enhanced Combat Body Armour was a basic piece of protective equipment. I have heard justification and excuse and I put these to one side as I remind myself that Sgt Roberts lost his life because he did not have that basic piece of equipment.
"Sgt Roberts's death was as a result of delay and serious failures in the acquisition and support chain that resulted in a significant shortage within his fighting unit of Enhanced Combat Body Armour, none being available for him......"
When the XV179 Inquest finally gets under way, we can surely hope for a similar finding, but with the words “Explosive Suppressant Foam”replacing “Enhanced Combat Body Armour”.
airsound