A FORMER SAS instructor has defended UK Special Forces Selection following the deaths of two servicemen on a gruelling march on the hottest day of the year.
Senior military commanders, along with the police, are continuing to investigate the soldiers' deaths, while a third serviceman was yesterday in a serious condition in hospital.
The three were part of a group training in the Brecon Beacons, some of South Wales's most rugged terrain, on Saturday when temperatures hit 29.5C (85.1F). It is believed the men were recruits taking part in the selection process for 21 and 23 SAS (R) – the Territorial Army units of the crack force.
Keith Bushby – father of Hull explorer Karl, who is attempting to walk around the world – spent four years as a permanent staff instructor in 23 SAS (R), which tends to recruit from northern parts of the UK.
He said: "I can see how it happens. It does get very hot up there in the Beacons.
"You are working very hard and you are on your own for a lot of the time."
Selection, which is widely regarded as the world's toughest military course, runs each summer and winter.
Mr Bushby spent 11 years in the famous "Who Dares Wins" unit – seven of them in the regular unit 22 SAS – after passing summer Selection in 1976.
The essence of Selection, involving months of rigorous build-up training followed by "test week", in the Black Mountains of South Wales, has changed little over time.
It is designed to push SAS hopefuls to the limit, both physically and mentally, and all but a handful fail the course.
"It was one of the hottest summers when I did it," he said. "It was extremely hard.
But no one shouts at you, or punishes you, on Selection – there's no need.
"You are told you can stop at any time. You are taught to look after yourself."
Mr Bushby, who rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant when he left 23 SAS in 1987, said it is not the first time a recruit has died attempting Selection.
And he doubts they will be the last soldiers to be claimed by the mountains.
"A good number have died there," said Mr Bushby. "A lot have died in winter – it gets extremely cold up there, too.
"It's a big boys' game and everyone who attempts Selection knows that."
The Ministry of Defence does not discuss Special Forces missions or training and has refused to confirm the nature of Saturday's training exercise.
The latest deaths occurred near the Storey Arms activity centre – a location familiar to every soldier who has attempted Selection for the SAS or its Royal Navy sister unit, the Special Boat Service (SBS).
Earlier this year, an Army captain was found dead on a snow-covered Corn Du mountain, also in the Brecon Beacons.
It was thought Rob Carnegie had been taking part in a 17 to 40 mile march in freezing conditions when he collapsed.
