Mersey Kingsman 'killed by insurgents or terrorists'

Feb 20 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

A PROMISING young soldier shot in Basra was probably killed by insurgents or terrorists, an inquest was told.

Kingsman Alexander Green, 21, from Warrington, was shot through the chest on January 13 last year while he was helping to protect a Warrior tank that had been hit by an explosive device.

The soldier, with the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancas-ter’s Regiment, was on a mission in the Hayy Al Muhandisn district shortly after 9am when a sniper fired from a distance.

Kingsman Green, who has a three-year-old son, had been patrolling around the Warrior with his platoon when a crack rang out.

He fell to the ground clutching his chest and was lifted into another Warrior and driven to safety by his colleagues. He was removed to the field hospital but died in surgery about three hours later.

Yesterday, an inquest in his home town of Warring-ton heard he was probably hit with a 7.62 calibre bullet fired from an AK47.

Reliving the attack, which the Royal Military Police said could not be investigated thoroughly because of the area’s instability, Lance Corporal Paul Bond said: “I heard a noise that sounded like a car backfiring rather than a gun shot.

“I turned around and had a clear view of everyone in my team, everyone seemed to be okay at first.

“Kingsman Green was brushing his chest and then fell back on the floor.”

Emergency first aid was given to stem blood loss from the entry and exit wounds.

The coroner, Nicholas Rheinberg, heard that Kingsman Green was well liked and one of the more capable soldiers.

He was given full body armour and was wearing it all when he was shot.

Forensic scientist Chester Parks said the bullet narrowly missed his ceramic chest plate.

Recording a verdict of unlawful killing, Mr Rheinberg applauded the soldiers who risked their lives to rescue Kingsman Green.

He said: “They looked surprised when they were asked if they put themselves in the line of fire but one is reminded of the fact that it was routine for soldiers in this situation, they are put in peril of their own lives every day serving in Iraq.”

He added: “My formal verdict is he was unlawfully killed while serving his country as a soldier.”

Outside the hearing Kingsman Green’s mother Janice Green was too upset to talk but his half-brother Nick Owen, 27, a Marine, paid tribute to him.

He said: “Alex was an amazing man both professionally and in his personal life.

“He was honest and respectful and he was always the first to offer his chair to somebody, he was so proud of his little boy Bradley, he was an all-round nice guy.”