Iraq tour marine hanged himself

A Royal Marine who narrowly avoided being killed when he witnessed five colleagues die in a helicopter crash in Iraq hanged himself on board his warship, an inquest heard yesterday.

The parents of David Ward, 21, described how the Royal Navy brushed aside requests for help after their son began drinking heavily and became depressed on returning from a six-month tour of duty in Basra in 2003.

His mother, Ann Ward, told the hearing in Plymouth that after she contacted his unit, 42 Commando, with concerns about his depression a sergeant humiliated him in front of other Marines by saying "Mummy has been on the phone telling us to look after you". She said her son went to see an officer but was told to "go back to bed" hours before he hanged himself on HMS Albion as it was docked at Devonport naval base, Plymouth, in March.

David, from Whiston, Merseyside, joined the Royal Marines in 2001 and was sent to Iraq two years later. When he returned to the UK he changed from a "joking, loving son" into a heavy drinker who also took cocaine, ecstasy and steroids.

He telephoned his parents just before 2am on March 12 and told his father: "Dad, you're my witness, remember what I've said. I'm now going to shoot myself."

The inquest continues.