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An army sergeant died after being wounded in a live shooting exercise in south west Wales.
The incident, first reported by The Sun newspaper, is understood to have occurred at the Castlemartin training area in Pembrokeshire Thursday.
A spokesperson for the army confirmed the death and said his thoughts were with the soldier’s family and friends.
“The circumstances surrounding this death are being investigated and it would be inappropriate to comment further,” they added.
The soldier’s relatives have been informed, according to The Sun.
The newspaper reported that the sergeant, who was part of the Welsh Guard, had served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was training ahead of a planned deployment to Iraq in the summer.
He added that Prince Charles, a colonel in the Welsh Guard, had awarded him a medal for long service and good conduct in 2019.
The Welsh Guards are the highest ranking infantry regiment in Wales, but they also take on a ceremonial role as “guardians of royal palaces” such as Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London, according to the Army website.
Welsh guards perform ceremonial duties in royal palaces
Prince Charles is a Colonel in the Welsh Guard
Soldiers have been killed in previous incidents on the Castlemartin ranges.
In 2017, Corporals Matthew Hatfield and Darren Neilson were killed after their tank exploded during a training exercise at a shooting range.
Another incident claimed the life of 21-year-old Michael “Mike” Maguire, who died in 2012 when he was shot in the head while relaxing in a safe place outside of training ground.
He was hit in the temple by a single machine gun bullet fired by another soldier during a training exercise, an investigation into his death was heard.
Ranger Maguire, who was a member of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, was ruled illegally killed.
