A WARRANT officer told an inquest into the death of a Hampshire soldier he might not have completed a fatal SAS test march because of willpower.
Lance Corporal Edward Maher, 31, from Winchester, died after taking part in an exercise in hot conditions in the Brecon Beacons.
L/Cpl Maher, Corporal James Dunsby and Lance Corporals Craig Roberts died from hyperthermia on when the march was held July 13 2013.
Soldier 1B, who was part of the exercise command, told Birmingham and Solihull Coroner’s Court that there were “no alarm bells at that time ringing in my head” during the march.
He said: “I feel there are a number of factors that contributed [to their deaths]. I think one of the key factors would be the determination and willpower of James, Edward and Craig to successfully complete the march.
“I would also have said that an element would have been the conditions conspiring against people who may not have had experience of operating within them.
“And I would also say that the training and preparation and conditioning of the students prior to being presented to test week may not have been good enough.”
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