Army 'cover-up' on 23 deaths, says MP

Labour MP Kevin McNamara, who is calling for a public inquiry into the mysterious deaths of Army personnel around the country, claims attempts to discover more about the deaths at Catterick Garrison have met with a wall of silence.

The news comes after The Northern Echo exclusively revealed that the grieving parents of two young soldiers, who died while stationed at the North Yorkshire barracks, were campaigning for a fresh inquiry into their deaths.

The families of Private Alan Sharples and Private Richard Robertson, who both died of gunshot wounds while based at Catterick, are urging the Ministry of Defence to come clean over the deaths.

Their cases have been taken up by the parents of four soldiers shot in mysterious circumstances at Deepcut, Surrey.

The families are working alongside Mr McNamara, the Labour Party's Northern Ireland spokesman from 1987 to 1994, to compile a database of suspicious deaths at Army bases across the UK.

Mr McNamara claims there are doubts hanging over as many as 23 deaths at Catterick, but he said the Army is refusing to reveal any further information to the families' representatives.

Mr McNamara said: "It is a culture of cover-up and secrecy. The Ministry of Defence just blocks everything. When we're able to get the statistics the MoD dodges the situation.

"There are 23 soldiers who have died at Catterick that give rise to suspicions.

"Alan Sharples should not have been on patrol when he died and Richard Robertson was allowed to go out on patrol on crutches (see panel).

"The Army has told me it is not possible to reveal the locations of deaths because these figures are not held centrally.

"It said it is not possible to give the results of coroners' inquiries or to provide details of injuries because this information is not held centrally. It will also not give the results of internal investigations or disciplinary procedures as it would compromise confidentiality of Army personnel."

Figures obtained by Mr McNamara show that there have been nearly 1,800 "non-natural" fatalities at Army bases in the past 12 years.

He said the MoD was avoiding the issue by not revealing any information on the tragedies and that families were being left in the dark.

"The families can't find out how they died and feel that the Army establishment is closing ranks," he said.

The families of Pte Robertson and Pte Sharples said they had been stonewalled by the Army over their sons' deaths.

Linda Robertson, whose son died in June 1995, while on a training exercise at Deerpark range, Bellerby, North Yorkshire, was told she could not see a report by the Special Investigation Branch on Richard's death.

She also claims that Army officials would not give her access to medical reports or witness statements.

The mother of Alan Sharples, who died from a gunshot wound to the head, also had similar problems accessing vital information.

June Sharples, 45, of Wigan, said: "The Army has not spoken to me since his death. They have never told me any details about what happened."

The father of Private Geoff Gray, formerly of Seaham, County Durham, who died from two bullet wounds at Deepcut, said the high number of non-natural deaths at Army barracks was a countrywide problem.

Geoff Gray said: "It just bears out how lots of parents are in the same position. They're not provided with details."

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "The Army has bent over backwards to co-operate with requests for information.

"A lot of information cannot be disclosed because it is not held centrally and could breach confidentiality."

Three Catterick deaths that need explaining

Alan Sharples, 20, from Wigan, died from a gunshot wound at 10.30am while on patrol at the barracks on April 30, 2000, after swapping shifts with a colleague.

No one saw his death.

The Army said it was suicide, the coroner recorded an open verdict. His family claim he would never have taken his own life.

Richard Robertson, 17, a Blackwatch private from Perthshire, died on a night shoot on June 2, 1995, at Deerpark Range.

He was sent to the firing range despite being on crutches after hurting his foot.

Twenty-eight soldiers were on the same shoot, but no one saw his death. His family claim it was not suicide. The coroner recorded an open verdict.

Paul Dennison, 18, was days away from a medical discharge from the Army when he was discovered hanged. He had been excused training as he prepared to go home.

At his inquest, his parents could not give any evidence to suggest their son committed suicide.

Coroner Jeremy Cave recorded an open verdict. He said: "I cannot say if he meant to take his own life, if anyone else was involved or if it was something that happened by accident."