Army chiefs to quiz death witnesses

The father of paratrooper Captain James Philippson, who was killed in a firefight in Helmand Province in 2006, believes the original Army Board of Inquiry report unfairly scapegoats his son's commander on the ground.

The report points to tactical decisions taken by Major Johnny Bristow among factors behind the death of the 29-year-old 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery officer's death.

But at Capt Philippson's inquest in February, Oxford coroner Andrew Walker instead pointed to evidence of kit shortages - including of night vision goggles.

In a stinging narrative verdict the coroner criticised what he called an "unforgivable" and "inexcusable" breach of trust between soldiers and the Government.

Anthony Philippson reacted by launching legal action, believing the MoD was evading responsibility.

He raised a series of, what he said were, holes in the inquiry report with Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth at a meeting in Whitehall last month.

He also called for him to personally listen to the testimony of members of the patrol, Major Bristow and the author of the inquiry report - a Major Shervington - who he said now differs from his own conclusions.

In a letter to Mr Philippson's local MP Anne Main, Mr Ainsworth rejected the call to hear evidence himself, but added: "I do not want to interfere in what is an independent, internal process for the service. That being the case I have made arrangements for the Army to contact the personnel that Mr Philippson has identified."

An MoD spokesman said this did not constitute a new board of inquiry or a reopening of the previous one.