Peeking through the Veneer
K.G.D | 15.12.2005 00:26 | Anti-militarism
Suicide soldier saw 'evil world'
A County Durham soldier killed himself because of the "evil world" he saw serving in Iraq, an inquest heard.
A County Durham soldier killed himself because of the "evil world" he saw serving in Iraq, an inquest heard.
Mark Dobson 'mentally woke up' inside a living hell
Pte Mark Dobson, 41, from Darlington, was with B Company of the Tyne-Tees Regiment in Basra.
The Territorial Army soldier was found hanging from his rifle strap in his room at Basra Air Station in March.
An inquest in Oxford heard about a suicide note he left to his parents Jean and Arthur, in which he referred to "this evil world".
Pte Dobson, who worked as a paramedic in civilian life, had also written a separate note to his TA colleagues saying, "Sorry to let you down, lads".
Giving evidence to Oxford coroner Nicholas Gardiner, Mrs Dobson, 65, said her son's death had come "completely out of the blue".
Father figure
She said: "He loved his job, he was really looking forward to going to Iraq. He said it was what he had been trained for.
"I just can't imagine for one minute what was worrying him. He was quite serious-minded and problems like world affairs and poverty he would get very emotional about.
"It was just the general situation in Iraq, there was something there bothering him. I just wish he had said.
"I just pray to God that we get some answers. I don't think he had thought it through or whether he realised the hurt he was leaving behind."
Lt Mark Laverick, an officer with Pte Dobson's company, said he was a "father figure" to many men in his platoon.
Giving the cause of death as hanging and recording a verdict of suicide, Mr Gardiner said: "Something was clearly troubling Mark Dobson but, as his mother says, we shall probably never know exactly what it was."
Warrant Officer Pamela Reid, who investigated the death, said: "There was an indication that something was troubling him but we never got to the bottom of it."
Link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4528794.stm
The Territorial Army soldier was found hanging from his rifle strap in his room at Basra Air Station in March.
An inquest in Oxford heard about a suicide note he left to his parents Jean and Arthur, in which he referred to "this evil world".
Pte Dobson, who worked as a paramedic in civilian life, had also written a separate note to his TA colleagues saying, "Sorry to let you down, lads".
Giving evidence to Oxford coroner Nicholas Gardiner, Mrs Dobson, 65, said her son's death had come "completely out of the blue".
Father figure
She said: "He loved his job, he was really looking forward to going to Iraq. He said it was what he had been trained for.
"I just can't imagine for one minute what was worrying him. He was quite serious-minded and problems like world affairs and poverty he would get very emotional about.
"It was just the general situation in Iraq, there was something there bothering him. I just wish he had said.
"I just pray to God that we get some answers. I don't think he had thought it through or whether he realised the hurt he was leaving behind."
Lt Mark Laverick, an officer with Pte Dobson's company, said he was a "father figure" to many men in his platoon.
Giving the cause of death as hanging and recording a verdict of suicide, Mr Gardiner said: "Something was clearly troubling Mark Dobson but, as his mother says, we shall probably never know exactly what it was."
Warrant Officer Pamela Reid, who investigated the death, said: "There was an indication that something was troubling him but we never got to the bottom of it."
Link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4528794.stm
K.G.D