Police investigating death of serving soldier on training exercise at Yorkshire military base

Private Nabin Thapa, of the Royal Logistics Corps, passed away on September 21 at the Driffield Training Area, the former RAF Driffield airfield. He was based at Dishforth Airfield in North Yorkshire, where his regiment is stationed.

Private Thapa, who played volleyball and badminton for his regiment, joined the Army in 2019 and had completed deployments to Cyprus as a UN peacekeeper and to Kenya and Oman.

The MOD said: “In the past year alone, he was part of a squadron held at high readiness for operations within the UK and deployed on demanding exercises in the UK and Oman. During both exercises he demonstrated his excellent trade knowledge and work ethic; he was a team player through and through. He had also recently undertaken adventurous training in Spain where he put his characteristic determination and high spirits to good use whilst hill walking in some unusually wet conditions.

"Pte Thapa was a quiet and conscientious solider and was always the first to volunteer. No matter the scale of the task, he could be relied upon to be there. A selfless individual, Pte Thapa always looked out for others. In his own time, he undertook charity work in an effort to raise awareness and funds for those less fortunate than himself. A humble and understated individual, his cheerful outlook was infectious.

"Pte Thapa became a rock to be relied upon when it came to any sort of tough work and an absolute asset to his chain of command. The regiment has been devastated to have lost a brilliant soldier in such difficult circumstances. His memory will be honoured in the squadron and wider regiment as a kind and caring individual; he will be sadly missed, but incredibly well remembered.”

Private Thapa, who was married, held charity events and donated money to the Gurkha Welfare Trust in his native Nepal. His colleagues recalled him saving a man’s life during a rock fall on the training trip to Spain.

The circumstances of Private Thapa’s death and the training exercise are being investigated by the Defence Accident Investigation Branch and Humberside Police.

Humberside Police said: “Officers were called to reports of a man having suffered a medical episode in Kelleythorpe on Thursday 21 September at 1.30pm. He was taken to hospital to receive treatment where he died a short while later.

"The circumstances surrounding his death are not being treated as suspicious however, they currently remain unexplained. Officers are conducting lines of enquiry with assistance from the MOD. Our thoughts remain with his family at this extremely difficult time.”