Mail Online

5th Army death at Deepcut revealed

By Mark Nicol Defence Editor

THE grieving father of a soldier who died at Deepcut Army barracks demanded a public inquiry last night after details of a fifth suspicious death at the base emerged.

It had been thought that four young soldiers died there mysteriously between 1995 and 2002.

The cases triggered police investigations and an independent review by a High Court Judge.

But it has now been revealed that a fifth soldier, Private Anthony Bartlett, pictured, died of a suspected drug overdose at the Surrey barracks in July 2001. Remarkably, the 26-year-old’s death was not included in any of the inquiries into the suspicious deaths and probes into claims that Army instructors abused and bullied recruits.

Just two months after the tragedy, Private Geoff Gray, 17, died of gunshot wounds while on guard duty. To this day his family dispute the coroner’s conclusion that their son took his own life. Last night, Private Gray’s father, also called Geoff Gray, said: ‘There must now be a public inquiry... I am more convinced than ever that there was foul play in my son’s death. Why are we just learning now that Private Bartlett died in suspicious circumstances so close to when Geoff died?’

Three other soldiers also lost their lives from gunshot wounds at the barracks – Private Sean Benton, 20, Private Cheryl James, 18, and Private James Collinson, 17.

Private Benton and Private James’s deaths were declared suicides after second inquests. An open verdict was reached at Private Collinson’s only inquest.

Private Bartlett, from Dumfries and Galloway, was found to have overdosed on a painkiller he had been prescribed for an ankle injury. An inquest in 2001 ended in a verdict of accidental death from acute poisoning from the drug. His death’s link to the barracks has been revealed by podcast series Death at Deepcut on audiobook service Audible.

The Ministry of Defence denies that it sought to hide a fifth death at Deepcut. It also insists the Armed Forces do not tolerate abuse, bullying or discrimination.

Confidential

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2021-06-12T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-12T07:00:00.0000000Z

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