Yorkshire Para “unlawfully killed”

Acting Bradford coroner Professor Paul Marks was commenting at the inquest into the death of Pte Martin Bell, 24, from 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, who was fatally wounded by the blast to the south of Nahr-e-Saraj in Helmand province on January 25.

Prof Marks heard how Pte Bell was part of a section of Paras sent out after another soldier was seriously injured by an IED to recover his missing rifle and metal detector.

As they searched, a second IED went off, blowing the legs off the man next to him. Despite a direct order from the patrol sergeant for everyone to stand still, Pte Bell rushed to his colleague’s aid, applying tourniquets to his horrendously injured legs.

In a series of statements read to Bradford Coroners Court, other soldiers in the patrol told how the area was then rocked by a third explosion.

When they found Pte Bell’s body, he had suffered terrible injuries and they knew then he was dead.

The inquest heard the patrol commander reported that five of his seven-man section were either dead or injured after the latter two blasts.

Today, Prof Marks recorded a verdict of unlawful killing on active service in Afghanistan.

He told the court: “What has struck me is the professionalism shown by Pte Bell and his colleagues - their camaraderie and their devotion to duty.”

The coroner added: “I can’t praise them highly enough.”

The soldier’s mother Elaine nodded her thanks as she was comforted by relatives.

Earlier this year, at Pte Bell’s funeral, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Harrison, the commanding officer of 2 Para, told the congregation the Para’s actions in running to his friend’s aid was “one of the bravest acts I’ve witnessed in 23 years of soldiering”.

The officer described how Pte Bell crossed “what was probably the most dangerous piece of terrain in the world at that moment”.

He said all the surgeons involved in the treatment of the soldier were “of the unanimous opinion that Martin’s first aid saved that soldier’s life”.

Lt Col Harrison said at the time: “He was the epitome of courage and the finest example of what makes this country great.

“His reputation will resonate long after we have gone.”

Pte Bell, who was from Bradford, West Yorkshire, was the 350th UK military fatality in Afghanistan since operations began in 2001. He was a police community support officer in Keighley, West Yorkshire, before he joined the Paras.