London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Welsh Guards sergeant killed in training was mistaken for target, report finds

Welsh Guards sergeant killed in training was mistaken for target, report finds

Sgt Gavin Hillier was shot at Castlemartin range by short-sighted soldier not wearing corrective lenses
An army sergeant who led a “distinguished career” was shot and killed after being mistaken for a firing target by a short-sighted soldier during a training exercise, a report has found.

Sgt Gavin Hillier, 35, of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, died at the Castlemartin range in Pembrokeshire on 4 March 2021.

A redacted report found that the shooter, known as Guardsman 1, had been prescribed corrective lenses but was not wearing them at the time Hillier was shot.

The shooter, who had been in the army for 18 months at the time of the incident, had previously tried to join the Welsh Guards but was rejected due to poor vision. The guardsman met only the minimum entry standards for the military when wearing corrective lenses, the report said.

Sgt Hillier’s wife, Karyn, and sons Declan and Connor described themselves as “heartbroken” after his death.

The service inquiry report by the Defence Safety Authority said: “The panel assessed it likely that Gdsm 1 mistook Sgt Hillier for the SFT [switch fire target].

“The panel concluded that not wearing their prescribed corrective lenses significantly impacted Gdsm 1’s ability to identify, acquire and subsequently engage the correct target. The panel finds that Gdsm 1 not wearing their prescribed corrective lenses was a contributory factor.”

The report concluded that on the night of the incident, the shooter “was approximately 290 metres from the SFT where they should have been aiming their rifle”.

It added: “Given their uncorrected VA [visual acuity], they would have seen this target in the same detail as someone with normal vision would have seen it at 1,740 metres.”

The report makes a series of recommendations, including ensuring that soldiers requiring corrective lenses know of their responsibility to wear them “for all safety-critical duties” and for an “assurance mechanism” to ensure they are wearing them “prior to live firing”.

Sgt Hillier had a “distinguished career”, the Ministry of Defence previously said, deploying on operations in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was awarded a long service and good conduct medal by Prince Charles, the colonel of the Welsh Guards, in 2019.

His wife and sons said: “We are absolutely heartbroken and can’t express how proud we are of you. Our boys will continue to make you proud and you will for ever live on through them.”

An inquest into Sgt Hillier’s death was opened at Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire coroner’s court last year.

A spokesperson for the army said: “Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the family and friends of Sgt Gavin Hillier at this sad time. We are supporting the ongoing investigation into the incident, which is being led by Dyfed-Powys police so it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

It is the latest in a number of accidents at the Castlemartin range. In 2012, Michael Maguire, 21, was shot in the head by a machine-gun bullet after removing his armour and helmet during a live firing exercise in May. An inquest ruled that he was unlawfully killed.

In 2017, Cpls Matthew Hatfield and Darren Neilson of the Royal Tank Regiment died after an explosion in their tank during a training exercise.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×