 The court heard how soldiers collapsed on a regular basis |
An inquest into the death of a TA private from Hawick has heard how soldiers in Iraq at the time were collapsing daily from heat exhaustion. Army doctors told a coroner that "lots" of soldiers needed treatment in the "ferocious" heat.
The inquest has heard that Pte Jason Smith died on 13 August, 2003 from a heart attack brought on by heat stroke.
One soldier who fought to revive him said people collapsed "quite often". The inquest, in Oxford, continues.
Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker also heard evidence from Cpl Nicholas Manning, serving with the mortar platoon.
Heat acclimatisation
He was deployed with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers and was staying temporarily in the stadium where Pte Smith and his colleagues were stationed.
Cpl Manning said that having served in Cyprus, Kenya and Jordan, he had acclimatised to the heat.
However, he added that other men he considered to be fitter than he was had collapsed and spent time in Abu Najid medical centre.
Cpl Manning was also asked how many people collapsed a week.
"I don't know," he answered. "It was a daily occurrence.
"It must have hit people differently - it has never affected me."
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