The courage of one of the most senior officers to be killed in Afghanistan will be underlined at his inquest tomorrow when a coroner hears fresh criticism over the provision of military equipment, a lack of medical facilities and insufficient battlefield helicopters.
Despite being mortally wounded in fierce fighting last year, Captain David Hicks, 26, refused morphine so that he could continue to lead his besieged troops against the Taliban in Helmand province.
The inquest is expected to raise concerns about the lack of a medical officer at the remote British base called Inkerman. Hicks, who was posthumously awarded a Military Cross for his heroism, is understood to have requested a medical officer for weeks, but one did not arrive until the day after he was shot during a Taliban assault on the base.
His father, Alun, is also expected to raise the 'disgraceful' lack of helicopter support when he gives evidence at the inquest in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, which meant soldiers at Inkerman endured numerous attacks without sufficient air support. Alun Hicks said: 'We still have an issue with equipment, particularly the need for more airpower in the form of helicopters. I have little doubt that the absence of helicopters contributed to events. It's a disgrace.'
The 57-year-old, who had been preparing for his son's imminent departure from the army at the time of his death, added: 'During the attack when David was killed, there were five enemy firing positions, including one heavy weapon, and that suggests a lot of fighters. Would they be able to get into position if helicopters had been there to disrupt them?'
His comments come ahead of new Defence Secretary John Hutton's maiden speech on Afghanistan, which will concentrate on the worthwhile 'sacrifice' of soldiers such as Hicks. He is expected to reaffirm that Britain's national security will be improved by defeating the Taliban, and that the 120 British service personnel to have been killed in Afghanistan have died for a worthy cause.
During the attack in which Hicks, of C (Essex) Company, 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment, suffered mortal shrapnel wounds, six others were injured. A Chinook helicopter was called in to evacuate the wounded, but Hicks returned to the fray. He died just hours after paying warm tribute to one of his men who was also killed fighting the Taliban.
A day before Hicks's death, Private Tony Rawson died during a fighting patrol to disrupt enemy activity and reassure the population in the area of Jusyalay, north-east of Sangin.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said that the number of helicopters had been increased and that efforts were continuing to introduce more.
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