Teenage Soldier Found Dead After Queen's Funeral Amid Kit Dispute
A teenage soldier was discovered deceased at his barracks just days after participating in Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral, with an inquest revealing he feared an £11,000 bill for missing kit items. Jack Burnell-Williams, aged 18, had expressed feeling "accused of stealing" by his superiors when uniform components vanished, according to testimony from one of his close friends.
Inquest Details Stress Over Missing Kit
During the second day of a week-long inquest at Inner West London Coroners Court, it emerged that Mr Burnell-Williams also worried a superior was still pushing for charges related to the incident. The young trooper was found hanging by his roommate at Hyde Park Barracks in London on September 28, 2022—nine days after he appeared alongside other Household Cavalry members at the monarch's state funeral, which was watched by 29 million people in the UK alone.
Corporal Nathan Lomas, who knew Mr Burnell-Williams "very well" after moving to the Knightsbridge barracks in June 2022, testified that his friend was upset over perceived theft accusations. Following a second phone call with a superior, Mr Burnell-Williams remained "pretty stressed" and believed the matter should be "put to bed." The accusations centred on a set of scales used to hold breastplates together, along with questions about a tunic and cloak.
Financial and Emotional Burden on Young Soldier
Mr Lomas highlighted the immense pressure, stating, "He was an 18-year-old lad looking at an £11,000 bill which for anyone would be quite a weight on their shoulders." He added that Mr Burnell-Williams was a young man far from home with limited family contact, which likely exacerbated his distress. The inquest heard that a pair of scales was found in Mr Burnell-Williams' wardrobe by his roommate Jake Robinson, who reported it to the chain of command. The scales were later retrieved from under Mr Burnell-Williams' mattress, with another trooper, Ellie Purse, having recently lost a similar set from her locker.
Ms Purse, who moved to the barracks in May 2022 aged 22, described a tense environment where recruits were graded out of 61 for kit cleaning, with punishments including being on foot rather than horseback for those who failed. She noted that she often felt colleagues, including Mr Burnell-Williams, were trying to "wind her up," and described the setting as "an isolating place to be."
Regiment Described as "Suicide Regiment"
Other colleagues provided scathing accounts of life in the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. Trooper Alfie Rogers, who shared a room with Mr Burnell-Williams for 12 weeks, stated that recruits felt "being treated worse than the animals" and called the regiment "suicide regiment" as a running joke. He recounted how Mr Burnell-Williams would joke about taking his own life, but he did not believe he was serious. Rogers attributed the death to being "overwhelmed with everything," citing exhausting routines where kit cleaning often kept recruits up until early hours, leading to constant anxiety and pressure.
Mr Burnell-Williams, from Bridgend in Wales, was a member of the Blues and Royals, an elite unit with duties including guarding the monarch. His girlfriend, Molly Holmes, testified that he was stressed by the need for immaculate kit, often redoing it and facing reprimands from superiors. She said, "He always got in trouble from the Corporal of the Horses about his kit," with punishments typically involving verbal tellings-off and redoing the work.
Inquest Aims to Understand Stressors
The inquest, expected to run for most of the week, is being conducted by Assistant Coroner Bernard Richmond KC, who aims to understand "the stressors acting on Jack" before his death. Present in court are Mr Burnell-Williams' parents, Laura Williams and Dan Burnell, with Ms Williams expressing hope that lessons will be learned regarding how the Army handles young people's mental health. The hearing will continue with testimony from additional Army colleagues and superiors.
