Other1 min read

'Flawed' training contributed to officer's death

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Second Lt Max George died from multiple traumatic injuries in June 2022 after becoming snagged while exiting a Warrior armoured vehicle that reversed over him. The Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court heard that the vehicle's warning alarm was reported faulty in 2018 but went unrepaired due to an ineffective maintenance regime. A service inquiry determined that a working alarm to signal open rear doors almost certainly would have caused the driver to stop. In response, military officials have instituted immediate safety restrictions and confirmed long-term plans to retire the fleet.

Key points

  • Inadequate instruction of the student commander who gave the reverse order was formally c…: Inadequate instruction of the student commander who gave the reverse order was formally cited as a contributing factor to the death.
  • A functional door alarm almost certainly would have prompted the driver to stop the vehic…: A functional door alarm almost certainly would have prompted the driver to stop the vehicle before the collision occurred.
  • The Ministry of Defence intends to replace its entire inventory of Warrior armoured vehic…: The Ministry of Defence intends to replace its entire inventory of Warrior armoured vehicles beginning in 2027.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

- Published

An Army officer's accidental death during a training exercise was contributed to by "flawed" training and a faulty alarm system, a coroner has concluded.

Second Lt Max George, 26, died on Salisbury Plain after struggling with a piece of "snagged" kit as he left a Warrior armoured vehicle, which then reversed into him, an inquest into his death heard.

Victoria Neale, who represented George's family, said the inquest provided his loved ones with "important answers" and provided a "degree of accountability".

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) vowed to respond to points raised during the inquest and said it had already made several safety improvements.

The inquest heard that George, from Durham, was stood by the open rear door of the Warrior on 21 June 2022 when the exercise commander gave the order to reverse the armoured vehicle.

The 26-year-old died at the scene near Everleigh from multiple traumatic injuries, Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court was told.

Recording a narrative conclusion, Coroner Ian Singleton said the training of the student commander who gave the command had been flawed.

Brigadier…

Other