The Army is set to be cleared over the death of a young soldier, Corporal Joshua Hoole, 26, who died during on a gruelling training exercise. Hoole, of the Rifles regiment, collapsed at the end of an eight-mile fitness run around on Brecon on July 19, when temperatures hit 30C. Hoole had completed 2 tours of Afghanistan.
But police investigating his death have rules out criminal action saying he died of natural causes.
Cpl. Hoole’s family have been told he may have been suffering from an underlying heart condition that went previously undetected in Army medical tests.
An Army spokesman said, “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Corporal Joshua Hoole. The incident is still being investigated and, therefore, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Cpl Hoole’s father Philip said on a previous occassion, ‘I’ve talked to the pathologist and it looks like there was something in the heart tissue that’s not quite right. It might be genetic, so there are members of my family who are having to go to the doctor and start getting checked up. He wouldn’t have wanted the soldiers who were with him, or the medics, to feel any blame. He was doing his job and he knew the risks. The truth is, my son might have dropped down dead any time. Josh always pushed himself 110 per cent. He was smashing that run and was at the front throughout, but just before the end he knew something wasn’t quite right. He turned round to someone and told them he wasn’t feeling too good, then he collapsed. The medics who were there did the best they could to keep him alive, but there was basically nothing they could do.”
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