A soldier died when his rifle went off “without warning” during a training exercise in the Scottish Highlands, an inquiry into his death has found. Lance Corporal Joe Spencer, 24, was killed on November 1, 2016 when his gun went off unexpectedly during a sniper training course in Tain.
The youngest of three brothers and originally from Hampshire, L/Cpl Spencer joined the British Army in 2011, and became a member of 3rd Battalion The Rifles. He was deployed abroad on a number of occasions, including on operations in Afghanistan where he was seriously wounded in a grenade attack.
He died while taking part in new sniper operators’ course, which began on October 3 2016 and was being delivered in three phases at ranges at Barry Buddon near Dundee, Tain in the Highlands and in Otterburn, Northumberland. He was standing waiting for his turn to take part in an exercise, with the butt of his rifle resting on his foot and his chin resting on the barrel, when it went off.
In his determination following a fatal accident inquiry, sheriff Gary Aitken said: “[/LCpl Spencer] was holding his rifle vertically. The butt of the rifle was resting on the toe cap of his boot. “He was occasionally resting his chin on the suppressor fitted to the end of the rifle muzzle. He was moving the rifle up and down on his boot, very gently.
