Inquest: Norfolk Marine found dead in Devon was given 'many chances'
18-year-old Connor Clark was just weeks into his military career when his body was discovered
Last updated 19th Jun 2024
A Royal Marines drill instructor told a new recruit who was later found dead on a railway line he had been given "so many chances" by superiors after making mistakes, an inquest has heard.
Connor Clark was just weeks into his military career when his body was discovered on the tracks adjacent to the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, Devon, on the morning of June 12 2021.
The 18-year-old, from Norfolk, had completed the third of his four-week recruit orientation phase (ROP) course that all Marines undertake before they begin their initial training.
The inquest in Exeter has heard Mr Clark had failed a couple of kit inspections but had been re-inspected by an officer and passed, but was then pulled up by an instructor for a mistake during drill training.
He had also made comments about being a "failure" and the "worst recruit" and had also misplaced a blank firing adapter for his rifle.
Marine Charles Dryden, who had undertaken the ROP course with Mr Clark, told the inquest his friend had been criticised by a corporal.
"We were learning the basics of marching," Marine Dryden said.
"During this, Connor made a mistake and the instructor said if he had his way, he wouldn't have given him so many chances with the previous inspections and would have put him back to the start of the training. It wasn't his decision, however.
"This was not a singling out of Connor and the instructor had said similar things to other recruits who had made mistakes."
The witness, who is now a member of 47 Commando, said some of the instructors could shout and swear at recruits if they made mistakes but there was also banter.
The inquest has previously heard that, two days before Mr Clark died, he had gone to the sick bay seeking treatment for an injury to his elbow.
He told medical staff he had initially cut his elbow when he fell against a radiator but then had used a knife to reopen the wound to avoid duties.
After the wound was dressed, he had returned to training, where one of the instructors questioned why he had been in the sick bay - causing the lesson to be taught again.
"Connor replied that he was going to put his chit in anyway," Marine Dryden said.
"The instructor replied along the lines of 'While you're here and getting paid you are going to learn what I am going to teach you'."
The inquest heard that the other recruits were helping Mr Clark find the blank firing adapter for his rifle because they did not want to receive a troop physical punishment - known as a "thrashing".
"I wouldn't disagree that you couldn't go to an instructor and get a new one, but I would definitely agree that at that point there would have been repercussions for losing that piece of equipment," Marine Dryden said.
"From what I recall, other recruits said they would help him find it and not say anything due to the thought of the whole troop getting thrashed and potentially losing the weekend leave we were due to get on the Saturday.
"I think there was always a fear that potentially it would not be granted, if standards were not met."
He also rejected claims that there was a "hostile environment" between recruits and did not remember any physical confrontations.
"It was a high-pressure environment and there was the stress of the course, but I don't remember physical confrontations," he said.
The witness said he was shocked at his friend's death, having only spoken to him the evening before about his plans to continue with the training course.
"At that point I didn't think Connor would have taken his own life because he was missing at that point, I personally thought it was a cry for help," he said.
"I guess it is hard to believe that a person who I spoke to the night before would do that and seemed OK the night before.
"Obviously everyone was saddened by Connor's death but agreed that we didn't necessarily attribute that to him being bullied by the corporals or anything like that."
The inquest continues.