The family of a teenage soldier who died just days after taking part in Queen Elizabeth II's funeral procession has called on the Army to urgently improve mental health support for young recruits.
A Tragic Loss Following Historic Duty
Trooper Jack Burnell-Williams, an 18-year-old from South Wales, was pronounced dead at Hyde Park Barracks in London on 28 September 2022. His death occurred less than a fortnight after he had walked in the late monarch's funeral procession, a solemn duty that saw him in ceremonial uniform escorting the Queen on her final journey alongside other members of the Household Cavalry.
Initial mystery surrounded the circumstances of the young soldier's passing, with police stating it was not suspicious. However, The Mail on Sunday has revealed that those close to the family are certain Trooper Burnell-Williams took his own life.
A Mother's Plea for Change
Speaking through her lawyer, Victoria Sedgwick, the soldier's mother, Laura Williams, 47, has urged military chiefs to consider what reforms can be implemented to better safeguard vulnerable young personnel.
"My client's main priority is to fully understand what happened and, if appropriate, for changes to be made so that other families will not have to endure what she has been through," Ms Sedgwick stated.
This heartfelt appeal echoes warnings from the mother of Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who ended her life at 19 following a sexual assault by a superior, about shortcomings in the Army's pastoral care system.
Broader Context and Ongoing Process
Official Ministry of Defence statistics indicate a sobering backdrop, recording 281 suicides among UK Armed Forces personnel between 2005 and 2024.
Trooper Burnell-Williams, from the Bridgend area, served with the Blues and Royals regiment. He was featured in the Army's official film of the funeral, leading a black horse. Colleagues remembered him as an "endearing character" with an "infectious smile".
At a review hearing at Inner West London Coroners’ Court in December, assistant coroner Bernard Richmond KC said he expected a full inquest into the death to be held in February. An Army spokesman confirmed its own investigations would be published on the Government’s website following the inquest.
The family's call highlights a critical and ongoing conversation about the welfare of young service personnel entrusted with both immense responsibility and profound emotional strain.
