Ex-soldier, 38, died from head and chest injuries when he was hit by artillery fire to become one of the first Brits killed fighting for Ukraine against Russia, inquest hears
- Simon Lingard, 38, died on November 7 last year in Bakhmut, Ukraine
- His cause of death was penetrating fragment injuries to the head and chest
An ex-soldier died from head and chest injuries when he was hit by artillery fire while fighting with the Ukrainian army, an inquest has heard.
Simon Lingard, 38, died at about noon on November 7 last year in Bakhmut in the Donetsk region in east Ukraine. He was identified using dental records in December.
The former paratrooper, from Preston, had been struck by fragments from artillery fire while trying to rescue Ukrainians, the inquest into his death held at Oxford Coroner’s Court heard today.
Following a post-mortem examination, a Home Office forensic pathologist determined Mr Lingard’s cause of death was penetrating fragment injuries to the head and chest.
The cause of death given by authorities in Ukraine was damage due to the action of explosion and fragments.
Simon Lingard, 38, (pictured) died at about noon on November 7 last year in Bakhmut in the Donetsk region in east Ukraine
The former paratrooper, from Preston, had been struck by fragments from artillery fire while trying to rescue Ukrainians, the inquest into his death held at Oxford Coroner’s Court heard today. Pictured: Simon Lingard
Mr Lingard joined the British Army when he was 16 but was medically discharged because of a knee injury, his ex-partner Stacey Longworth claimed.
In a statement read by the coroner Darren Salter, Ms Longworth said they met when she was 18 and Mr Lingard was 19, quickly moved in together and had their son Jackson in 2005.
They married in March 2006 and split up at the end of 2007. He wanted to rejoin the military after they broke up.
Mr Lingard was recruited by the paratroopers and was in the Army for two or three years before he left and got a job as a mental health support worker, she added.
Mr Lingard set up a charity with two others which helped people who struggled with their mental health and also worked as a landscape gardener while training to become a social worker.
He went back to Ukraine in autumn last year and the Monday before he died spoke to his family and said he was going to the front line for the last time and then he would be back the week after.
Ms Longworth added: ‘He was loving life in Ukraine and was considering living there after the war, sending videos of him singing with the locals.’
Following a post-mortem examination, a Home Office forensic pathologist determined Mr Lingard’s cause of death was penetrating fragment injuries to the head and chest. Simon Lingard is pictured above
She received a call from a friend Mr Lingard had been in Ukraine with around 7pm on November 7, 2022. The friend told her that earlier that day they were fighting and he was killed. The friend shared how they personally carried Mr Lingard’s body back.
Mr Salter gave a narrative conclusion saying Mr Lingard was ‘killed whilst on active service with the international legion of the Ukrainian army’.
Dr Russell Delaney, Home Office forensic pathologist, told the inquest he would have expected Mr Lingard’s injuries to have resulted in ‘instant unconsciousness’ and death ‘would have followed rapidly as a consequence of brain injury and blood loss from chest injury’.
Ms Longworth spoke after the inquest and paid tribute Mr Lingard, hailing him as ‘an amazing dad and not just a soldier’.
She said: ‘There’s a lot of people that don’t agree with what Simon did and have voiced opinions but his family are unbelievably proud of him and we backed him every step of the way.’
Ms Longworth also spoke to a sergeant in the unit Mr Lingard was fighting with who told her what a ‘brave man’ he was.
Mr Lingard’s son Jackson said: ‘He was a person outside the military, he was a big charity man but he was also loved by everyone, as well as (being) our dad.’ Pictured: Simon Lingard
Jackson Lingard, Mr Lingard’s son, said: ‘He was a person outside the military, he was a big charity man but he was also loved by everyone, as well as (being) our dad.’
Mr Salter said it was apparent Mr Lingard was a ‘popular person’ by the number of his friends who attended the inquest via an online link.
He said: ‘What we know is Simon volunteered, he had military experience and Simon volunteered to serve with the Ukrainian army and he did so returning to the UK on certainly one or two occasions before returning again a few months before his death.
‘It sounds like he was due to return to the UK shortly but very sadly on this occasion, although we don’t have precise details, evidence indicates he was in service with his unit in Bakhmut when he was struck by the fragments from artillery fire which sadly, due to the severity of his injuries, caused his death.’
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