Army embattled by claims of widespread bullying

Soldiers' relatives say the police investigation into events at Deepcut Barracks, in Surrey, where four soldiers died in mysterious circumstances, should be extended to include every UK Army base, with particular attention paid to events at Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire.

The relatives have been enraged by the Ministry of Defence's apparent unwillingness to shed light on the deaths of their loved ones.

Led by Labour's former Northern Ireland spokesman Kevin McNamara, 166 MPs have already signed an Early Day Motion backing calls for a nationwide examination of the way all peacetime deaths in service are investigated.

The MPs have criticised a "culture of cover-up" among Army personnel and have said that it has been difficult - and at times impossible - to get information.

Lynn Farr, the mother of Private Daniel Farr, said: "There have been too many coincidences. We can't bring them back but if we can stop others dying and put systems into place to stop it happening again, that will be something."

The Catterick record makes grim reading. Documents obtained by The Northern Echo show that 23 soldiers have died at the base in peacetime incidents since 1994. Five of those deaths have been suicides, and inquests into the deaths of a further two soldiers who have died from gunshot wounds have recorded open verdicts.

Part of the relatives' concern is the way vulnerable young recruits appear to have easy access to live ammunition. For instance, in June 1998, North Yorkshire coroner Jeremy Cave demanded to know why a soldier was given a loaded gun, even though he had previously threatened to shoot himself.

Bryan Isherwood, 19, had been counselled by a corporal, a sergeant and a captain, and was put on guard duty with a standard issue semi-automatic rifle and 20 live rounds despite being depressed. He shot himself.

In February 1997, security lapses at Catterick led to the death of an innocent civilian.

Ian Brown, 27, was shot dead by soldier Noel Parker who had gained unsupervised access to an arms storeroom.

Parker, who was drunk, was jealous of Mr Brown, who was staying with his ex-girlfriend. He armed himself with a stolen weapon, went to the house and shot his love rival six times in the head.

The Ministry of Defence admitted inadequacies in security arrangements and promis-ed to tighten up procedures.

There have also been allegations of bullying. After her son, William, died during a forced march, Claudia Beckley-Lines said she was contacted by a number of soldiers who told her they had been bullied.

She said: "Some of the soldiers said there had been bullying. They got drunk every night and picked fights, even if soldiers did not want to fight. The officers turn a blind eye. It was the culture."

In September 1989, Tariq Malik, 23, of the Royal Corps of Transport at Catterick, went absent without leave (awol) after he claimed he was subjected to racially-motivated physical and mental abuse.

In 1991, Green Howard Michael Spence, 20, of Darlington, reported allegations of racial abuse and bullying.

His mother, Winnie, lodged a complaint with officers and told The Northern Echo her son had been subjected to humiliating assaults and abuse. On one occasion, she said he had been stripped naked by soldiers who shaved off his pubic hair. Mrs Spence said her son, who was discharged from the Army, was told by his superiors he was bound by the Official Secrets Act and could not talk to the Press.

Darlington's then MP Michael Fallon tried but failed to get a public inquiry.

In May 1992, an investigation was launched after four men from the Green Howards regiment went awol from Catterick amid allegations of brutality.

In November 1999, the Army investigated complaints from a Catholic soldier serving with the Royal Irish Regiment, who said he had experienced a catalogue of sectarian abuse. He claimed he was attacked and forced to take the Orange Order Oath Allegiance - effectively renouncing his religion.

He said that following his complaints, the Army had transferred him to another unit and told him to sign a declaration saying he would take the matter no further. The regiment was also served with a rare directive banning the display of intimidating paramilitary propaganda.

In December 1999, Lance Corporal Roy Carr, 26, told a court martial hearing at Catterick that he had considered quitting the Army after suffering "absolute hell on earth" during four years as a private with the Royal Green Jackets. He claimed he had suffered racial abuse and bullying.

In January 2000, a soldier claimed he was mistreated by members of the Royal Irish regiment because he was English and had a black friend.

Last October, Colour Sergeant Jason Llewellyn, 33, of the Royal Regiment of Wales 2nd Battalion, based at the Infantry Training Centre, at Catterick, was jailed after admitting five charges of indecent assault and one of common assault on five recruits, aged between 17 and 21.

In one incident, the father-of-two subjected a teenage soldier to a sex ordeal after a drunken night out.

In March, Catterick soldier Allen Wilton, 23, was convicted by Teesside Crown Court of an attempted indecent assault on a cadet. Four other cadets from his unit also made sexual allegations against married Wilton, but he was cleared of these. He has since been dismissed from the Army.

Parents of soldiers say they accept that life in the Army can be hard, but they believe there is a very fine line between "toughening up" raw recruits and persecuting them.

"All we want is the truth," said Mrs Farr last night. "I am sure the Army would rather we accepted the official version of what has gone on, but that will never happen.

"Perhaps now they will take us seriously."

Fit soldiers unexplained death on run

PRIVATE William Beckley-Lines waved goodbye to his father at the train station as he made his way back to the Army camp that he loved.

Days later, the fit, active soldier, who had a promising Army career ahead of him, was dead.

Popular with other members of his unit, Pte Beckley-Lines had prospered at Catterick Garrison and was due to join the Royal Green Jackets the following month.

The rifleman had always wanted to join the Army and while spending time at home in Milton Keynes on leave he told his parents, Bill and Claudia, how happy he was.

He spoke about how hard he had been working in his training and how, during the previous week, he had completed a nine-mile run, in full pack, in a personal best time. He beamed with pride, and his parents felt sure their son would go on to excel in his military career.

The day he died, Pte Beckley-Lines went on a routine two-mile training march. Tired from guard duty the night before, the 22-year-old asked to be excused, but his request was turned down.

On the run, at Bellerby ranges, near Catterick Garrison, Pte Beckley-Lines, kitted out in combat gear with 28lb pack and rifle, was dragged and pushed along by fellow soldiers.

About 300m from the end of the run he collapsed. He was taken to Duchess of Kent Military Hospital where he was found to be dead on arrival.

"They told me he had gone for a two-mile run and he was dead," said Mrs Beckley-Lines. "I was in shock. I told them, no, he would not die from a two-mile run.

"When he was at home he would run four miles every day. He was fit and strong. It was very hard to take in."

At the soldier's inquest, Corporal Simon Stanhope said he thought the rifleman was being lazy when he saw him struggling. He admitted shouting at William aggressively to "encourage" him.

A verdict of natural causes was recorded.

Some time after the tragedy, a soldier contacted the family to tell them he had witnessed his collapse.

Mrs Beckley-Lines said: "He told me he had shouted, 'Quickly, lets take him to hospital', but an officer said, 'No, I will tell you when he is taken to hospital'.

"They left him there until he breathed his last breath." At the inquest in April 1999, the family discovered that some of his body parts, including his brain, had been removed without their consent. A second examination - conducted at their request - made another shocking discovery.

Mrs Beckley-Lines said: "There were cuts under his testicles, and bruising - a fact not revealed in the first post-mortem."

Pathologist Sebastian Lucas said Pte Beckley-Lines had suffered cardiac failure but that there was no physical signs explaining why.

Because of the extraordinary events that have come to light since their son's death, Mrs Beckley-Lines believes something more sinister happened to him.

"I think his drink was spiked," said Mrs Beckley-Lines. "My son was complaining in the morning of feeling unwell. I think he was drugged.

"One soldier said it was payback for something that my son had done. A man had picked a fight with William. My son said no, but the man would not leave him alone and the man was punched in the face. The soldier said it was revenge for that."

The sister of a soldier who had been on the same run as Pte Beckley-Lines called Mrs Beckley-Lines to say that her brother had been so severely traumatised after her son's death that he became silent. He was crying and refused to talk to anyone.

"They had to take him to the doctor," said Mrs Pte Beckley-Lines. "He later told his family, 'I saw something.'

"When I finally got to speak to him, all he would say was, "William was a good lad.' He never went back to the Army after my son died."

'Suicide' of son with everything to live for

ALLAN SHARPLES was happy with his life in the Queen's Lancashire Regiment.

The 20-year-old had just got engaged to his girlfriend and he was enjoying his time at Helles Barracks, Catterick.

His mother, June, 45, remembers that he was very proud to be in the Army; he was confident, popular with other soldiers and was madly in love with his fiancee.

"Life could not have been better for him," said Mrs Sharples.

Yet, on the morning of April 30, 2000, Private Sharples was discovered dead with a gunshot wound to the head.

He had been at his mother's home the day before and seemed fine. He told her that he was going to be on guard duty the next day after switching his shift.

On the day he died, Pte Sharples was on duty with another soldier when they split up to patrol around a building. Seconds later, a shot was heard and he was dead.

"The soldier said he heard the shot. He said that he thought my son had shot himself but, instead of going to find out if that was right, he ran to the guards' room, a journey of ten minutes," said Mrs Sharples.

"He didn't have a look, which I thought was strange - you would think he would go and see if his friend was all right."

The family said they also found it strange the soldier should instantly think that a fellow guard had shot himself.

They later discovered that Pte Sharples' gun was cleaned and put back on the rack before forensic tests could be carried out.

Pte Sharples died at 10.30am on a Sunday. His parents did not find out about the tragedy until Monday evening and were told that it looked like he had taken his own life. The subsequent inquest recorded an open verdict.

"No one in the family thinks he committed suicide," said Mrs Sharples.

She remembers meeting a man in her home town of Wigan, who told her he had helped organise her son's funeral. He panicked when he realised who she was.

Mrs Sharples said: "He said, don't ask me any questions."

Gang rape has scarred me for life

GEORGE (his name has been changed to protect his identity) joined the Army full of aspirations and promise. A 22-year-old recruit, he dreamed of a long and fulfilling career ahead of him.

But the happy memories of life in uniform he hoped to acquire never took shape. Instead, the father-of-two was left wheelchair-bound and traumatised by a military establishment that he says failed him.

He is telling his story for the first time after coming forward in the light of the allegations surrounding the Deepcut Barracks.

While undergoing his training at Strensall Barracks, near York, he says he was raped by two officers, as another kept watch.

"It happened on a Sunday. I had just come back from leave and I was in the shower room. I had just had a shave and a shower, and had a towel wrapped around me," he said.

"An officer who had been bullying me for some time came in with two others. They bashed my head and kicked my knees in from behind, and that's when I fell and cracked my head on the sink.

"The attack left me unconscious. Two of them raped me while the other one stood in the doorway watching."

The private was found lying in the shower room by colleagues who took him to the medical unit, where the incident was reported.

"The next day I was transferred to York General Hospital, where I was examined and x-rays were taken. I was covered in bruises," said George.

"I put in a complaint to a sergeant but nobody wanted to believe me. That's when I wanted to get out of the Army."

Now aged 36, he says he also suffered mental and physical abuse at the hands of an officer while training at Catterick in 1985. Recruits regularly visited the Garrison because the facilities were more advanced than at Strensall.

They had gone to Catterick in week five of their training to work on boxing skills and that was when the bullying started.

"As far as the bashing went, the officer was doing it to other people as well. He simply did not like some of us, and I was one of them. He thought we were a bit soft.

"I was given black eyes, cauliflower ears, busted lips. A friend of mine was given a broken nose, others were left with heavy bruising, One even suffered concussion but they just put it down to an accident and he was given a medical discharge.

"Recruits were told that the officers were the best; that nobody could better them.

"The officer in question was never reprimanded. We were told he was the best trainer - the best they'd ever had."

George believes he was bullied because he already had knowledge of the Army after training as an Army Cadet. His uncle was in the forces and would often pass on information and helpful tips.

"I knew about marching and rifles. I knew a lot about the military.

"Most people do not know much about it when they go into the Army. I think they thought I was a know-it-all.

"They were trying to break me down and it was starting to work. There was lots of mental abuse. Things they said are too awful to print but they were very nasty.

"Bullying probably still goes on - but obviously it is kept hush-hush."

Now married with two children, George said his Army experience was so horrific that he has never truly recovered.

He was eventually discharged on medical grounds due to the combined effects of falling during a run after being pushed, and then, a week later, falling 15ft while tackling an assault course. He spent three months in a rehabilitation centre but his injuries have left him confined to a wheelchair.

A year after entering the Army as a bright-eyed recruit, he returned to civilian life a changed man.

Night exercise ended in gun tragedy

PRIVATE Richard Robertson was on a night exercise with Black Watch at Catterick Garrison when he died.

Earlier that day, the 17-year-old had called his parents, Linda and Brian. They remember him being in good spirits and he told them he was joining the rest of the platoon that evening on a night exercise. It was September 21, 1995.

"I was surprised that he was included in the exercise as he was on crutches after hurting his foot," said Mrs Robertson. "But he told us there was another couple of lads on crutches who were also taking part.

"In the same phone call, he spoke to his grandmother and he told her much the same story, adding that he was looking forward to coming up to Edinburgh to meet a friend on the Saturday, if he could walk without his crutches."

That was the last time the family heard his voice.

At 6.55am the next day, an Army official visited the family home in Perth and told them Richard had died on the exercise. His parents later discovered he had, in fact, died at 8.30pm.

They were shocked that it had taken the Army nearly 11 hours to give them the tragic news.

During the exercise, soldiers had practised loading and unloading their SA80 rifles. Before the target practice began, all weapons and magazines were checked as empty as a safety precaution.

It was in the waiting area that a shot was heard.

Richard died from a bullet wound to the head. There were 28 soldiers on the same night exercise, but no one saw him die.

At the inquest, then Coroner Jeremy Cave recorded an open verdict.

Mrs Robertson said: "I tried to find out what happened that night but I always came up against a brick wall.

"I tried to contact one of the soldiers and he was all for speaking to me, then all of a sudden he couldn't."

The family spent thousands of pounds on solicitors' fees trying to discover what had happened that night, but say they still remain largely in the dark.

They were told by the special investigation branch of the Military Police that it was likely Pte Robertson had committed suicide, but officers refused to hand over documents on his death to the family.

Mrs Robertson said: "I just want to try to stop it happening to someone else. They are children and should not have live ammunition."

Mum's suspicions over mystery illness

A YEAR almost to the day after joining the Army, Private Daniel Farr was dead.

He joined the Prince of Wales Own Regiment of Yorkshire at Catterick Garrison on June 9, 1996.

Twelve months later, on June 10, 1997, he died at St James' Hospital, Leeds.

Pte Farr had been on home leave the weekend before his death, and complained of pains in his leg. He was taken to York District Hospital, where doctors told him it was a strain following a stress fracture.

He rested for most of the weekend and his mother, Lynn, drove him back to Vimy Barracks, Catterick, on Sunday. Later that evening, he went for drinks with an officer.

The next morning the Farrs received a call at home to say that Pte Farr was ill and while it wasn't thought to be serious he was being moved to the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton.

His parents, Lynn and Michael, made their way to the hospital but received a phone call during the journey telling them that Pte Farr was on a life-support machine.

Tests were carried out on the soldier but nothing could be found and he was transferred to "Jimmy's" hospital in Leeds. Again, more tests were carried out but they also drew a blank.

"The specialist told us he had never seen anything like it before," said Mrs Farr.

"He said that if he had been an elderly man who had abused his body all his life he could understand it, but not a fit, young soldier."

The private died in the early hours of the next day. At 2pm that day, the Leeds Coroner called his family and said that all they could find was pneumonia and suggested an inquest be held. The Farrs agreed.

"Then we had another phone call from the North Yorkshire Coroner Jeremy Cave who told us that because Daniel was stationed at Catterick he would be dealing with the case. He told us an inquest wasn't necessary.

"Later, I discovered that in the 18 months after Daniel died there were four other sudden deaths at Catterick," she said.

A few months after Daniel's death, Mrs Farr was approached by a complaints officer for the Community Health Council at Catterick Hospital, who was a former Army officer.

"He said that in this day and age you just don't die of pneumonia and would I like him to make inquiries. Unfortunately, at that time the grief was too new and I declined."

Mrs Farr believes her son's death may be linked to nuclear biological chemical warfare training (NBC).

Spurred by the number of stories that she has heard about Catterick Garrison, Mrs Farr set up a website dedicated to 19 soldiers who have died at the camp between 1995 and 2001.

In the weeks before Daniel died he had wanted to talk to his mother alone, but due to circumstances, it never happened.

"He said he had something to tell me. I have always wondered what it was," she said.

Mrs Farr's website is at http://freespace.virgin.net/lynn.farr/index.htm

Army 'closed shop' after champion's death

HIGHLY-RATED recruit Neil Stanley was found slumped in his barracks after missing a 45-minute parade.

The 18-year-old private, who had been tipped for great things in the Army, died from a gunshot wound to the chest on January 9, 1989.

He was found with his SA80 gun lying across his chest and was certified dead at York District Hospital, two days after completing his annual personal weapons test.

Pte Stanley, who had joined the Green Howards at Strensall barracks the previous October, had been made section leader because he was such a capable soldier.

At the inquest into his death in March that year, Coroner David Coverdale said that mystery surrounded Pte Stanley's death.

The Coroner said: "The reason behind his death is going to remain a mystery which troubles all his colleagues.

"It is hard to understand why a conscientious and happy young man should deliberately take his own life. He had everything going for him and would have made a fine soldier."

The coroner recorded an open verdict after deciding there was insufficient evidence to say he had committed suicide.

The Army had told his family he had taken his own life.

His mother, Barbara Stanley, said: "We never got to the bottom of it.

"He was such a happy boy and he loved life. We never understood what happened. The Army were all right until after the inquest and then that was it. There was nothing after that.

"It was a closed shop."

Pte Stanley was one of two men challenging for the honour of champion recruit at the end of training.

The last time he had access to live ammunition was three days before he died, but the inquest heard that at the beginning and end of firing on the rifle ranges, soldiers were required to empty their guns, magazines and pouches of ammunition.

He had been at home on the Sunday and appeared fine. The next morning he was dead.

Mrs Stanley said: "He was destined for promotion and was up for an award. I will never believe that he did it himself.

"The Army was such a closed shop that I came to the conclusion I would never know what happened."

History of abuse at North bases

Other incidents at Catterick and Strensall during the past 20 years

December 1984 Sergeant James Simpson, 38, of the 8th Signals Regiment, Catterick Garrison, was found guilty of threatening young recruits with guard duty unless they bought him gifts.

December 1984 Barrack bully Corporal Toussaint Cameron, of the 8th Signalman Regiment, Catterick, was demoted after being found guilty of getting trainees to buy him gifts to escape punishment for breaches of discipline

July 1988 Army bully Corporal Mark Nesbitt of the King's Regiment, Strensall, admitted injuring Private John Read's fingers with a six-pinned orienteering marker. Cpl Nesbitt was reduced in rank, subject to confirmation, to lance corporal.

>October 1989 Two soldiers claim they are victims of racial abuse. Tariq and Talib Malik go absent without leave at Catterick.

October 1988 Four bullies from Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall, were sent to detention after attacking Dennis Sheehan. In one incident, Mr Sheehan was forced to lie face down on the bed and was assaulted with a broom handle. Privates Jason Blacow, Stuart Hawkins, Peter Miller and Kenneth Hardman appeared at a court martial hearing in York.

August 1991 MP Michael Fallon calls for an investigation after allegations of bullying against a private in the Green Howards.

March 1996 Fusilier Edward Beddoes was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after the shooting of fellow servicemen Gary Riches, in Bosnia. Fus Riches, of Catterick Garrison's 1st Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, died from gunshot wounds. A coroner recorded an open verdict into his death and no action was taken against Fus Beddoes after officials decided there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. Riches' family, of North Tyneside, also want a public inquiry into his death.

January 2003 Coroner Geoff Fell said he would contact managers at the Duchess of Kent Military Hospital, at Catterick Garrison, after he voiced concerns at the inquest of Sergeant James McDonald, who hung himself with a nylon rope in the hospital. The coroner said he was concerned that Sgt McDonald had found it easy to get a ligature and suction handles he tied the rope to, despite having been admitted to the hospital for trying to take his own life. His family accused the Army of a cover-up.

November 1999 An investigation is launched after claims the Catterick base has been infilitrated by Loyalist paramilitaries, following complaints of bullying from a Catholic soldier.