Blood on its hands: Veteran soldiers family opens up after Army offers apology for not doing enough before armoured vehicle rolled and killed him
The family of a soldier killed in a tragedy involving a faulty vehicle welcomed their first meaningful apology from the head of the Army – as he accepted a formal reprimand over the tragedy.
The family of a soldier killed in a tragedy involving a faulty vehicle welcomed their first meaningful apology from the head of the Army – as he accepted a formal reprimand over the tragedy.
Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Roly Walker attended a hearing earlier today to receive a Crown Censure from the Health and Safety Executive, where he met relatives of Staff Sergeant John McKelvie, 51.
The Iraq and Kosovo veteran died in January 2019, after a mark II Jackal he was driving on a training course overturned on the Catterick training area, North Yorkshire.
The vehicles had a string of faults known about for over a decade before the tragedy, rolling over 40 times, but an inquest earlier this year heard nothing had been done to fix its stability problems.
Roll bars, part of the structure designed to protect tall occupants if it overturned, were also inadequate, a separate Ministry of Defence internal service inquiry found.
Staff Sergeant John McKelvie, 51, died from a brain injury after the Jackal he was driving rolled over multiple times during a training exercise
His family has welcomed their first meaningful apology from the head of the Army (stock of a Jackal vehicle)
John McKelvie and sisters Jacqueline Welsh (left) and Cheryl Scott (right)
General Sir Roly admitted 6ft 4ins SSgt McKelvie – a veteran of 22 years service who became a reservist after retiring from the regular army - died because we didnt do enough to protect him.
He apologised unreservedly to relatives of the solder, of the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry, adding that the Army had failed him and that his life didnt need to be lost in this way.
SSgt McKelvies sister Jackie Welsh, who previously accused the Ministry of Defence of having blood on its hands over the death, said: Its the first meaningful apology weve had in five-and-a-half years that felt sincere. Ive never felt that until now, not once.
Mrs Welsh said that while she and her family had found the four-hour hearing, in which details of SSgt McKelvies death were gone through in thorough detail difficult, they felt the Health and Safety Executive had done a fantastic job holding the Ministry of Defence to account.
The hearing, at Army headquarters in Andover, was told a series of changes have been implemented including restrictions on the height of soldiers using the Jackal, plus changes to orders governing its use during. Modifications to rollover protection will not begin until next year.
But Mrs Welsh added: It shouldnt have taken Johns death for these changes to be made – it should have been when they realised there was a problem.
The Crown Censure was issued because the Ministry Defence and Army are immune from prosecution for health and safety offences.
SSgt McKelvie was one of five soldiers killed in four incidents over five years involving vehicles with potentially-lethal faults which were known to the MoD but had not been fixed, an audit by the Daily Mail revealed in August.
The Health and Safety Executive is continuing to investigate the other three incidents.
In his apology, Gen Sir Roly said: I apologise unreservedly for failing to maintain the safety standards rightly expected of the British Army.
Pictured: Lieutenant General Sir Roland Roly Walker who today met relatives of Staff Sergeant John McKelvie, 51
SSgt McKelvie died in January 2019, after a mark II Jackal he was driving on a training course overturned on the Catterick training area, North Yorkshire (stock photo)
Staff Sergeant John McKelvie died because we didnt do enough to protect him from the risk of death. The condolences I offer to Johns family and friends are heartfelt for a soldier lost that didnt need to be lost in this way.
We failed John and I am so sorry. We are committed to learning and adapting, so this never happens to another family, another regiment, or another group of friends.
Gen Sir Roly said the scrutiny and the identification of our failings resulting from the Health and Safety Executive investigation, the internal Ministry of Defence Service Inquiry and an inquest held in June this year would ensure real change.
He also said there was a need to restore the confidence of others in the safety and supervision of high-risk training.
Mrs Welsh previously said her brother, from Ayrshire, had been dedicated to his military career and put himself in dangerous situations for years – but was killed in a training exercise accident that was avoidable and preventable.
She said: If the MoD did their job properly my brother would be alive. The MoD failed him and they failed our family. They have blood on their hands.
Wing Commander Paul Summers, president of a service inquiry which investigated the father-of-twos death and found 179 failures, told an inquest in June there was no evidence of anything being done to fix the vehicles problems. He said: The Army was not a good safety learning organisation.
In a narrative verdict, the inquest jury said the tragedy resulted from lack of a neck and head support, unsuitability of the training ground for the vehicle, SSgt McKelvies inexperience in driving it, and lack of supervision by his chain of command.
The Health and Safety Executive said steps to control the dangers with the Jackal were not undertaken.
These included failings in the driving course such as insufficient training before drivers were asked to attempt challenging obstacles such as a steep slope where the accident occurred.
Risk assessments were not suitable and sufficient, and despite numerous previous rollover events, the Army failed to foresee what could go wrong.
HSE inspector Mark Slater said: All training, including that which is required to be as realistic as possible, should be planned, risk assessed and executed in such a manner that it does not endanger those who are involved.
Had the systems implemented by the Army been more robust, SSgt McKelvie would probably still be alive.
The MoD said there has been a complete revision of policies since the incident.
