Inquest hears Army officer Max George was killed by reversing Warrior in 2022

Mixed · 2An inquest has heard that Second Lieutenant Max George, 26, of Durham, died on 21 June 2022 during a training exercise on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, when a Warrior armoured vehicle reversed over him. 1 2 Mixed · 2Lt Col Graham Watson, who led the service inquiry, told the court George had left the vehicle by a rear door to coordinate two sections on the ground, was seen briefly struggling with a day sack or a radio antenna, then went back for his weapon inside the vehicle as it reversed. 1 2 Mixed · 2The inquest heard an alarm designed to warn the driver when the rear doors were open while the vehicle was in gear had been faulty since 2018 because of a broken wire or snapped cable, and that a door-open light on the driver's panel also did not work. 1 2

Mixed · 2Col Watson said the driver "would have almost certainly stopped" had the alarm sounded, and that anyone up to 4.8 metres from the vehicle would be in its blind spot. 1 2 Mixed · 2The Daily Mail reported that the vehicle had nine known faults: six were "limited role" faults that barred live firing, and three, all concerning the rear doors, were "fully fit" faults that did not affect use, including a rear door locking plunger that was stuck. Col Watson said there was no requirement to take the vehicle out of service over the alarm fault, and the BBC reported he said the known faults did not mean it should have been withdrawn. 2 1 Mixed · 2The court heard the vehicle was an FV511, which differs from the more common FV510 platoon variant, is harder to exit and is not ordinarily used for disembarking troops; the student commander had trained mainly on the FV510 and 5 Rifles crews were not very familiar with the FV511. 1 2

Mixed · 2According to the BBC, George's exit made a "clunking noise" that may have led the commander to assume he was clear and the doors shut; the vehicle then stayed stationary for 38 to 43 seconds as soldiers shouted "wait" and horns sounded, and a stop call was sent at 10:25. The Mail said safety supervisors arrived within seconds and judged resuscitation impossible. 1 2 Mixed · 2George's mother, Vivienne George, read a pen portrait describing him as having "effortless leadership qualities" and "enormous" potential. He had won the Queen's Medal for best cadet on passing out from Sandhurst in December 2021 and had attended Durham School. 1 2 Mixed · 2The inquest is expected to last three days and continues. 2 1