A British Army officer was killed by a reversing tank during a combat drill due to flawed and unsafe safety procedures, a coroner has ruled.
Second Lieutenant Max George, 26, died when a Warrior FV511 infantry fighting vehicle reversed over him at speed on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, on June 21, 2022. He had exited the stationary tank and was attempting to retrieve his weapon while holding open its rear door when the incident occurred.
The court heard that the tank's driver and commander were unaware of the officer's position due to a blind spot and non-functional safety systems. The vehicle's operators had no way of knowing the rear door was open because key safety features were inoperable. The coroner noted that these systems had been reported as faulty but had not been repaired due to a lack of a maintenance system.
Coroner Ian Singleton criticized the Army's safety failings, stating they created an unsafe environment. He identified several contributing factors, including the use of a command variant tank for debussing troops, which was not its intended purpose, and the inadequate training of the student commander in using the vehicle, particularly the debussing practice on that specific variant. The coroner announced he would issue a prevention of future deaths report.
Second Lieutenant George, described as an "utterly exceptional" soldier with "enormous potential," was a former head pupil and boating captain of Durham School, where his parents taught. He achieved a First in Politics with Russian at Newcastle University and a Distinction in his Master's in Eastern European and Eurasian Studies with Russian at the University of Glasgow. He joined the regular Army after serving as a reservist and was awarded the Queen's Medal for best cadet at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in December 2021.
At the time of the incident, the Warrior vehicle had nine known faults, including a non-functional alarm system designed to alert the driver if the door was open while reversing. These faults were not prioritized, and the vehicle was incorrectly cleared for use during the exercise. An investigation revealed 24 "severe" faults that should have prevented the tank's deployment, although none were believed to have contributed to George's death.
His mother, Vivienne George, described her son as "utterly professional, modest and great fun," with "effortless leadership qualities." She added that his soldiers adored him, which she saw as a testament to his character.
The Ministry of Defence has since adopted the recommendations made in the investigation report into the incident.