TRANSCRIPTS: 'Air strike co-ordinates did not marry up'
Grid coordinates communicated between an air controller and an American weapons officer "did not marry up" before a 500lb bomb was dropped from a US aircraft killing three British soldiers, an inquest heard yesterday.
Privates Aaron McClure, 19, Robert Foster, 19, and John Thrumble, 21, were under intense fire in Helmand when a US F15 aircraft, called to help, dropped the bomb on them instead of a Taliban position 1km further north.
Pte McClure, from Ipswich, Pte Foster, from Harlow and Pte Thrumble, from Maldon, of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, died in the blast on August 23, 2007, the inquest at Trowbridge Town Hall in Wilts, heard.
Privates McClure and Thrumble were on the roof of a compound and Private Foster was in the house firing from a window when the order to strike was given by their platoon commander Major Antony Borgnis.
Sgt Mark Perren, a forward air controller, passed on the order to the Weapons Support Officer (WSO2) aboard the US aircraft.
Coroner David Masters said: "He [Sgt Perren] explains the problems and difficulties, for instance he had no headset while using a hand set to undertake that action. He was performing these tasks on his own.
"We will deal with distractions but most relevantly we will deal with the grid references which were provided by him and the communication with the WS02 who provided him with the grid references as welland the grid referneces did not marry up.
"We will deal with this non-delivery of what is described as a nine liner giving all the requisite information to assist the Americans."
A nine liner is a document which sets out the requisite information needed by the WS02 whose role it was to drop the bomb.
He added: "There was an incorrect clarification of the grid references."
Sgt Perren was investigated buut no charges were brought against him, the inquest heard.
It was heard how the blast instantly killed Privates McClure and Thrumble and seriously injured Corporal Stuart Parker and Pte Joshua Lee. The area was evacuated and once everyone had returned to the operating base, they realised Pte Foster was not with them. Some of his colleagues went back to find him and it was heard that they used their bare hands to search for him in the rubble.
He was eventually found and had sadly died of asphyxia as a result of entrapment, according to a post mortem.
Privates McClure, Thrumble, Lee and Cpl Parker had taken up fighting positions on top of the roof when the bomb hit, howeevr Pte Foster had been firing shots from the window inside the house. The blast caused the roof to collapse.
Since their deaths, there has been various official inquiries conducted including one by the American Forces called the combined investigation board report.
The coroner explained that the report included transcripts from the cockpit, voice recording and a verbatim transcript of witnesses who had assisted the report.
Mr Masters said he had only just seen this part of the report and had not been allowed to take notes or remove it.
Cpl Parker's solicitors requested a copy of the report to the American Embassy under the Freedom of Information Act. The version released by them does not include the cockpit recording or identifies the pilot.
Mr Masters said that because there was such a wealth of useful information contained in the report, it was only fair that all those involved see a copy before the full inquest can proceed.
He said: "It means that we are not going to be in a position that everyone wanted, including me, to do this inquest before Christmas, and I very much regret that."
The inquest is expected to be adjourned until February next year.
Speaking outside the court, Pte McClure's uncle Allan said: "We don't care how long it takes. We will do whatever it takes, we just want the truth about what happened."
Among those in attendance were Pte Thrumble's mother Pearl, Pte McClure's mother Lorraine and father Karl Smith, his uncle Allan and Pte FOster's family, john Foster and Lisa Walker.
Among those expected to be called as witnesses will be Sgt Perren. The inquest will deal with matters relating to Sgt Perren's training., his instructions and the communication with the Command Support.
Mr Masters said the inquest would also look at whether there was a "loss of situational awareness by them- the American officers."
Before the hearing started, Hilary Meredith, the solicitor for the three families of the dead soldiers as well as two injured soldiers, Stuart Parker and Joshua Lee, made a statement questioning why the incident happened.
"We want to find out why in today's modern warfare, mistakes like this can happen. It should not happen and we want to make sure it is prevented from happening again."
Mrs Meredith said the families had hoped the inquest would be completed before Christmas.
Captain Ian Robinson, welfare officer for the Ist Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment, said: "The families have asked me to issue a short statement on their behalf.
"Today is a very painful day for all the families who are focussing on their sons' tragic deaths. They also want everyone to know their thoughts and prayers are with the family of Lance Corporal Drane, who was killed last week in Afghanistan."
To see the PDF of this article from the East Anglian Daily Times, please see the attached PDF.
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