Iraq Inquiry Digest

My Iraq Inquiry experience

by Tertia Boshoff (South Africa), mother of †RM Sholto/Sonic Hedenskog (4 November 1976 – 21 March 2003)

On 20 August 2009 I received two letters from Sir John Chilcot and Margaret Aldred (dated 28 July and 12 August respectively) informing me of the launch of the Iraq Inquiry on 30 July in London and asking whether I would like to participate. I replied on the same day, via e-mail, that I would definitely want to meet with the committee members.

I had already accepted an invitation from Navy Command Headquarters in July to attend the dedication service of the Royal Marines Memorial Wall at CTCRM Lympstone, Devon. This event was planned for the weekend of 26 and 27 September.

I purchased my flight ticket at the end of July and would be in the UK from 23 to 28 September, incorporating a set itinerary whilst in the UK.

Sixteen e-mails were exchanged between me and the Inquiry secretary’s office during the period of 20 August and 17 September, trying to set up a meeting of approximately 30 minutes. Initially I suggested either 23 or 28 September, explaining my itinerary. I tried to make changes to my flight ticket to make more days available in London, but was unsuccessful. My final suggestion was 28 September.

On 4 September the secretary’s office advised that only one committee member may be available to see me and I accepted – understanding and appreciating the effort made. On 17 September, this part of an e-mail was sent to me:

“Having tried to find a committee member for you on the 28th I am afraid they have said with regret that they are unable to break into the other engagements they individually have on that day. However, if it was acceptable to you, one of the two Committee Deputy Secretaries (X – a senior civil servant) has said she would be very pleased to meet you and relay your comments to the Committee. Sir John Chilcot (the Committee Chairman) told me yesterday that he would be content to be represented on this occasion given that he cannot be here himself.” I accepted, what other choice was available?

Visiting the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) on Thursday 24 September, I discovered that a tree planted in Sholto’s name had been replaced by a young sapling of a different tree species and his name plaque was promptly attached to it. In January 2004, I had arranged (and paid) from South Africa for a Grey Alder to be planted as a living, growing memorial for my son which I have visited six times, since 23 March 2004.

I gave permission in April 2008 for his tree to be moved a few metres to accommodate the planning of a new project, with both the solemn understanding and undertaking by the interested party that the utmost care would be taken that the tree will survive being transplanted. When I asked a NMA employee what has happened to Sholto’s tree, I was told with a very matter of fact attitude that the tree has “died”. Pity there was no consideration informing me about this well in time – I value a living, growing memorial more than Sholto’s name on yet another cold, stone memorial.

I cancelled all further engagements in the UK and returned home on 28 September. I planned this trip to celebrate Sholto’s life, not to discover how insignificant he has become to others in the UK.

If I represented “my son’s voice” in this inquiry, I would like to say to Sir John Chilcot now: “My son was not content to let someone else take his place when he was expected to do his duty”. Also, I find Sir John Chilcot’s preference to refer to “British or UK bereaved families”, offensive – where exactly does a “Commonwealth” family fit into the Iraq Inquiry?

I would also like to point out that in April 2007 Andrew Walker, Oxfordshire’s deputy assistant coroner at the time, criticized the US for their failure to co-operate with the UK inquest into the deaths of Captain Philip Guy, 29, of Bishopdale; Colour Sergeant John Cecil, 35, from Plymouth; Sholto Hedenskog, 27, from Cape Town, South Africa; Warrant Officer 2 Mark Stratford, 39, from Plymouth; and Major Jason Ward, 34, from Torquay; Lance Bombardier Llywelyn Evans, 24, of Llandudno; Sgt Les Hehir, 34, from Poole; and Operator Mechanic (Communications) Second Class Ian Seymour, 29, from Poole.

As the Daily Mail reported:

“The helicopter, an American Sea Knight, went down south of the Kuwait border in March 2003 on the first day of the Iraq war. As well as the eight British servicemen, four US servicemen also died.

“American investigators concluded after the incident that spatial disorientation suffered by the US Marine Corps pilots led to the tragedy.

“But a British Board of Inquiry disagreed, finding instead that a mechanical fault caused the helicopter to plunge nose first into the ground.

“This conclusion was later overruled by UK defence chiefs, who supported the Americans’ explanation.

“Recording a narrative verdict on Thursday, Mr Walker, assistant deputy coroner for Oxfordshire, said there was “no evidence whatsoever” that pilot error, in the form of spatial disorientation, was to blame on the strength of the evidence before him.”

One Response to “My Iraq Inquiry experience”