Two Fife Black Watch recruits who had their army careers cut short by a helicopter crash are claiming damages from the Ministry of Defence.
Christopher Hamilton (20), of Kirkcaldy, and John Falconer (22), of Buckhaven, had just started training at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire when the copter crash near the base in August 2007, ended their hopes of a future in the army.
Teenagers at the time, they were seriously injured when the twin-engine Westland Puma crashed during low-flying manoeuvres, killing the pilot and two others and injuring nine passengers.
The recruits had been on a training exercise led by a crew from RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, where the helicopter was based.
After an inquiry, the MoD accepted responsibility for the incident and lawyers are negotiating compensation pay-outs.
London solicitors Seth Lovis and Co are representing both Fifers and a third soldier, Dahrll Duncan (20), of Turriff.
Solicitor Richard Watts said although newspaper articles hinted the men were claiming up to £300,000 each, it was premature to speculate about the figures.
He said, “There has been a judgment against the MoD and it has been established they have the right to compensation but, as to how much, we need to do a lot of work first. We have to consider medical reports and rehabilitation.”
He said Mr Hamilton’s family did not want to talk about the case.
The crash claimed the lives of Flight Lieutenant David Sale (28), of Norton on Teesside, Sergeant Phillip Burfoot (27), of Cardiff. Private Sean Tait (17), from Glasgow, died two days later.
A year ago, coroner Geoff Fell criticised RAF Benson and said the tragedy had happened “against a background of deteriorating administration, airmanship and discipline.” He said the pilot, Flt Lt Sale, possibly lacked the ability to do the manoeuvre that led to the crash, and poor administration at RAF Benson was a contributing factor. Paperwork was either missing or incomplete and it was unclear if the crew was properly qualified.
The coroner heard the crew were earlier “shaken” by a low-level manoeuvre called “bottoming-out.” Experts have said that after this incident the crew should have dropped off the troops, stopped for a cup of tea and discussed “why they were nearly killed.”
Mr Hamilton and Mr Falconer were among the first to sign up for the Black Watch after it became the 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland.
They enlisted in June 2007, two months before the crash, and paraded at Balhousie Castle, the home of the Black Watch in Perth.
Photo by Flickr user Kari’sKicks.