Media Room: Defence Speech

PRESS CONFERENCE: RELEASE OF INQUIRY OFFICER’S REPORT INTO THE DEATH OF CORPORAL MATHEW HOPKINS

 

Russell Offices, Canberra, Friday 24 July 2009

 

 

E&OE

 

 

VICE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCE, LIEUTENANT GENERAL DAVID HURLEY:

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'm here today to release the findings of the Inquiry Officer's report into the death of Corporal Mathew Hopkins in Afghanistan on March 16 this year.  The Chief of the Defence Force conducts inquiries into all deaths in operations and the release of this report is part of that process.

 

Colonel William Hanlon led the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Corporal Hopkins's death. Before I release the findings of the report, I would like to say that Corporal Hopkins, and the members of his patrol, fought well in dangerous and chaotic circumstances under heavy insurgent fire.

 

Corporal Hopkins was an outstanding soldier. Known as 'Hoppy' to his mates, he was greatly respected across the battle group as a professional soldier. Corporal Hopkins was a valued member of the Darwin-based 7th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment. And his rapid rise through the ranks was a reflection of his skills as a soldier and a leader. Corporal Hopkins was a section commander in the Operational Mentoring and Liaison team, or OMLT, serving with the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.

 

On the morning of March 16, this year, the OMLT was providing mentoring support to an Afghan National Army, or ANA-led patrol, in the vicinity of a rural village, approximately 12km north of Tarin Kowt in Oruzgan Province. Members of the OMLT conducted a comprehensive planning process on the afternoon and evening prior to the patrol. The Inquiry Officer found the planning to be suitable for the task, describing the orders issued on the evening of March 15 as clear. The patrol consisted of two manoeuvre groups made up of Australian OMLT and Afghan soldiers. Corporal Hopkins was attached to group one. As section commander, Corporal Hopkins's role was to provide support to the Australian mentoring soldiers and the ANA soldiers they were training.

 

As the patrol approached the village at about 9:31 in the morning, Corporal Hopkins and his group one sighted and engaged insurgents. In the ensuing contact, the patrol was engaged by at least four insurgents groups, firing from three directions with rocket propelled grenades and small arms from distances ranging from 50m to 100m. While under intense fire, both of the patrol groups manoeuvred to the safety of compounds. Soon after adopting what a member of the patrol described as “a very good firing position”, Corporal Hopkins was struck by insurgent fire and suffered a major head wound. ANA soldiers helped move Corporal Hopkins into the compound where an Australian private administered first aid. Casualty evacuation and offensive support were requested at this time. The patrol remained fixed inside the compound under considerable weight of fire for the next 20 to 30 minutes. During this time Corporal Hopkins stopped breathing. The private, a qualified combat first aider began resuscitation and was able to revive him for a short time.

 

The group begun to conduct a fighting withdrawal and ANA soldiers carried Corporal Hopkins while the Australian soldiers provided covering fire. At this time Corporal Hopkins was displaying no vital signs and could not be revived. The Inquiry Officer found that Corporal Hopkins's wound was fatal and that no medical intervention would have saved his life.

 

Given the nature of the contact, and the weight of fire involved, the aero-medical evacuation helicopter could not land at the incident site. However, the inquiry found that the AME timings were appropriate. The Inquiry Officer found that while there was evidence of civilians leaving the area prior to the contact, there was no evidence civilians were involved in this incident or have there been any reports of civilian casualties as a result of this contact.

 

During the contact, the ANA performed to the level of their training experience, both of which were appropriate to the patrol's task. Indeed recent reports from ADF commanders in the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force indicate the ANA is making solid progress. The OMLT is now mentoring company-level operations with the Afghan battalion and is satisfied with the ongoing development of the ANA.

 

Corporal Hopkins was wearing all mandated protective equipment at the time of the incident, including body armour and a Kevlar Helmet. During the inquiry, other soldiers made specific comment on the weight of their body armour. While providing high levels of protection, some soldiers felt the weight of the body armour was not optimal for the type of light infantry operations the OMLT was conducting. The commanding officer,  and the officer commanding the OMLT, clearly stated that the weight of the body armour was not a contributing factor in Corporal Hopkins's death. The Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force formally raised this issue via the chain of command to army headquarters and subsequently the army's Battle Worthiness Board made a decision to increase the modular options for body armour currently being used. A lighter ballistic plate is now being developed which will provide commanders greater choice to meet the prevailing threat. In the interim, another system, which is currently being used by the Australian Special Forces, is now available to OMLT members.

 

The Inquiry Officer found that all training procedures supported the conduct of the operation. The level of training and the application of procedures allowed the patrol to maintain good order under significant pressure and to subsequently extract itself from the area of contact. The patrol’s ability to perform at the level they did and maintain cohesion is a testament to their techniques, training and procedures. The inquiry made one recommendation - that a commission of inquiry was not warranted as it was unlikely to discover any further relevant material, information or evidence regarding this incident. The Chief of Defence Force has accepted the recommendation and the Minister for Defence has agreed with the report's recommendation and has authorised the public release of this report.

 

Corporal Hopkins's wife, his family and members of the units involved have been briefed on the findings and provided with a copy of the Inquiry Officer's report.

 

As I said, the members of this patrol fought well in dangerous and chaotic circumstances under heavy insurgent fire. It is reassuring to know Corporal Hopkins and his patrol were supported by courageous men like the Australian combat first aider who moved forward under fire to administer first aid to him and the US helicopter pilot who landed under heavy insurgent fire to evacuate Corporal Hopkins.

 

Corporal Hopkins was the 9th Australian soldier to die in Afghanistan since operations began in 2001. His death is deeply felt by all of us in the Australian Defence Force and I again extend my sympathies to Corporal Hopkins's family. Corporal Hopkins died while serving his nation and a sacrifice, which will not be forgotten.

 

An unclassified version of the Inquiry Officer's report will be available for you to download from the Defence website after this media conference. Redactions have been made to the original report to protect our operating procedures.

 

I will now take your questions.

 

Q:  Lieutenant General Hurley, are you able to explain to us any details of the comparative weight of the body armour they were using and the new model?

 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HURLEY:  Yes. The system of body armour they were wearing is called ‘MCBAS’. The difference in weight between that and the lighter version they are now able to access, if you retained the same ballistic plate, it is 0.8 of a kilo. If you don't use a plate and use a lighter plate, it is about 3.3 kilos.

 

Q:  What happened to Corporal Hopkins? Was it sheer bad luck?

 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HURLEY:  As the Inquiry Officer found, he was in a good firing position. Unfortunately he took a round to the head, not through the helmet. Very unfortunate.

 

Q:  With the armour, was the suggestion from the soldiers that the weight of the armour vest was preventing them from moving and getting to cover?

 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HURLEY:  I think there were a number of issue there's. They felt it was heavier than they needed for the work they were doing. When they were trying to move or carrying Corporal Hopkins it was a heavy weight. There were a number of factors they brought to people's attention.

 

Q:  He was the first member of a training team to die in action since Vietnam. Is that the situation?

 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HURLEY:  That's correct. Yes.

 

Q:  Sorry, did you say that he was hit through the helmet?

 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HURLEY:  No, not through the helmet.

 

Q:  Is the medic who moved forward to him under fire to give him first aid, is he under consideration for any awards?

 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HURLEY:  That process is a process that comes up through theatre. So the commanders in the field on the day will make nominations if they see fit. That will move up through the chain of command. I don't know if that has occurred at the present time.

 

Q:  (inaudible) ...3.3 kilos lighter, does it have the same protection? How much less protection does it have?

 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HURLEY:  The plates give the same quality protection. It is just a different manufacture.

 

Q:  So the new body armour is now being rolled out throughout all soldiers in Afghanistan?

 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HURLEY:  At the moment it is available to the Special Forces and the OMLT, and Army will look at the requirement over whether it needs to expanded any further than that. I think the important thing there is both are high quality protective armour for personnel.

 

Q:  Are you able to give us any more details of how the medic moved forward?

 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HURLEY:  I believe he came out of the compound with a group and moved them back in, but under considerable fire. The exact details are not clear to me.

 

Q:  Do you have any further details of any other casualties to our side or the insurgents?

 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HURLEY:  We have no details on what the contact might have resulted for in casualties or deaths on the insurgent side and Corporal Hopkins was the only casualty in our patrol.

 

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