The number of deaths at the Army's Catterick Garrison base has raised concerns among bereaved families. Liz Lamb reports

THE list of 26 names of dead soldiers makes for bleak reading. Hangings, gunshot wounds and carbon monoxide poisoning deaths are recorded beside soldiers who seem to have just collapsed and died.

For the families of recruits who have lost their lives while at the North Yorkshire barracks, one name on the list is one too many.

Since 1997, there have been seven soldiers found hanged at the base, six more have died of gunshot wounds. The main cause of one private's death has never been discovered. Three more have collapsed and died after going for a run.

The fact that the list of fatalities continue to grow makes the families cries for a public inquiry stronger.

"Whether the deaths are suspicious, suicides, or accidents, too many young people are dying and action needs to be taken," they say.

Relatives feel that, coupled with stories of bullying and abuse of recruits, the Army must be called into question about how these tragedies are allowed to happen.

Kevin McNamara MP has been instrumental in pushing calls for a public inquiry into all non-combatant deaths at Army barracks across the UK, including Catterick Garrison, a move backed by The Northern Echo.

Spurred by the events at Deepcut barracks, in Surrey, Mr McNamara has listened to the stories of hundreds of families who have a tragic tale to tell.

A total of 173 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion backing a public inquiry and many local authorities in the UK are also pledging their support.

The former Northern Ireland spokesman wants an independent inspectorate to be established for the Army, a system already used in the police and prison services.

He said: "The Army is refusing to establish any independent investigative process.

"Families do not always know what is going on. We have families who come to us who have not been told the full details of their child's death.

"Every parent should have the right to find out the circumstances of their child's death.

"There needs to be an independent Army inspectorate and there needs to be a mechanism by which the Army duty of care can be effectively employed."

The proposals would mean that the inspectorate would have the power to go into Army barracks at any time and interview soldiers in private, as well as having access to documents.

Mr McNamara said that despite the public interest over deaths at Deepcut and Catterick, he had seen no evidence that the Army was willing to change.

"I think certainly that the deaths at Catterick should be included in a public inquiry that Deepcut families have been arguing for," he said.

Families hope that the more soldiers and relatives who are prepared to come forward and tell their stories the stronger the case to help reform.

As the suicide note left by Derek McGregor poignantly says, by highlighting what has happened to him he hopes it will help somebody else survive