A SCOTS-based soldier died with an army captain in a so-called "friendly fire" incident in Afghanistan when they were hit by an anti-tank missile attack ordered by their Danish counterparts, an inquest has heard.
Corporal Danny Winter, of the Arbroath-based 45 Commando Royal Marines, and Captain Tom Sawyer, of the Royal Artillery, were on a rooftop providing fire support for an operation clearing Taliban compounds north east of Gereshk in central Helmand when the incident happened.
Two other members of the patrol were injured in the explosion which happened on January 14, 2009.
Wiltshire coroner David Ridley said that the missile hit the rooftop which was about 800 metres from the Forward Operation Base (Fob) Gibraltar.
Mr Ridley said that the initial inquest opening was told that: "An unidentified type of missile hit the rooftop, as a result of the explosion both soldiers suffered severe injuries to their lower bodies."
He said that the investigations into the incident have shown that it was believed the incident was a result of "friendly fire" involving a Javelin anti-tank missile fired by British personnel.
The coroner explained that the British forces were involved in a joint operation with a Danish battle group and the order to fire the fatal missile was given by a lieutenant in the Danish Army referred to during the inquest as Soldier A.
Mr Ridley said that the Danish soldiers had declined to attend the inquest and their evidence would be given by means of witness statements.
He said: "Attempts have been made to encourage the Danes to come over to give evidence live but sadly they have declined having initially indicated they would come. The fact the family have legal representation has possibly caused the Danes to reconsider their position."
The missile itself was fired by former Lance Corporal Premkuma Sherpa, supported by Rifleman Bhaj Kumar Gurung, on the order of the Danish commander, the inquest heard.
Major Robert Taylor, chief instructor in Javelin training for the anti-tank division at Warminster at the time of the incident, told the inquest: "Javelin's primary purpose is to defeat enemy armoured vehicles, its secondary purpose is soft-skin vehicles, bunkers, field fortifications and hovering helicopters."
He added that he had received feedback from soldiers returning from the field that it was also being used as an "anti-personnel weapon" from as early as 2006.
He said: "Javelin in Afghanistan offered new opportunities for it to be used in a way it hadn't been used before in pin-pointing people because it was so accurate."
He said that the troops were not given specific training for targeting personnel with the weapon and the training programme had not been changed despite the feedback from returning troops.
He said: "Had I known the detail (of the incident) at an earlier stage we would have looked at our position for further training."
He explained the Javelin system only had a single viewfinder, unlike armoured vehicles, meaning only the person firing the weapon could see the target and commanders would often ask to view the target before the shot was fired.
He said: "Only the person firing the weapon can see what he is looking at and the commander cannot look at what the firer is about to fire at. That's why when the commander takes on the shot, he wants to be absolutely confirmed for himself (by checking the viewfinder) and very often that would happen because soldiers were always very concerned about carrying out a bad engagement."
Maj Taylor added that the Danish officer who ordered the firing would not have been trained in the use of the weapon.
Cpl Winter, 28, from Stockport, Cheshire, was a specialist mortar fire controller and was serving in Helmand province with the mortar troop of Zulu Company, 45 Commando Royal Marines.
Lieutenant Colonel Jim Morris, Commanding Officer, 45 Commando Group, said: "Corporal Danny Winter was an exceptional Royal Marine, Mortarman and Non-Commissioned Officer with a big future ahead of him."
The inquest which is being held in Salisbury resumes today. (tue)
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