Young Soldier Accidentally Shot.KEENNESS LED TO DEATH.

How a young Paratrooper, keen to reach his objective during a practice, went

too far and was killed by covering lire from a Bren-gun, was the sad story told

to the Island Coroner (REA Webster, Esq) and a jury, of which Mr RG

Bristow was foreman, at an inquest at Totland Bay Military Hospital on

Saturday.

The soldier was Private Bernard Joseph Stenchion, aged 18, of the 1st

Parachute Regiment, whose home is at Batley, Yorks.

Lieut Robert Stanley Warren, of the 1st Parachute Regiment, explained the

procedure of a syndicate field-firing practice of which he had charge on a

range at Niton on Friday week, Private Stenchion was one of an advancing

section whose objective was under Bren-gun covering fire from another part of

the range. When the accident was reported to him he immediately arranged

for the injured man to be sent to hospital in an ambulance, after first-aid had

been given by RAMC orderlies.

Corpl. Charles Henry James Sale, who was in charge of the advancing

section, said they were going forward in rushes at an angle to the covering

fire. He saw that Stenchion, who was on a flank, had got a little ahead of the

line and immediately gave the order "Get down," but as he did so Stenchion

fell. "I at first thought that he was joking when he said he was hit," added the

witness.

Sergt, Harold Gough, who was firing the Bren gun, said he fired two bursts at

the target and during the second there was a shout “A man has been hit," and

he immediately ceased fire. He had kept the advancing section under

observation and did not see anyone in the line of fire while the gun was in

action.

Capt A Mills, RAMC, said that Stenchion had been wounded by two

bullets, one going through his chest and spine and the other fracturing his

right thigh. He was suffering severely from shock on admission to hospital and

died about an hour and a half later.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death, adding that in their opinion no

blame could be attached to anyone, as the deceased in his keenness went too

far forward.

Isle of Wight County Press Saturday 23 June 1945