PAUL WILLIAM DIDSBURYSignaller Paul William Didsbury, who died on 29June, 2005, aged 18, was a soldier with 21 Signal Regiment (AirSupport) serving alongside the Joint Helicopter Force in Iraq.Colleagues have described the teenager as "irrepressiblycheerful", with a great "zest for life". He was the 89th Britishserviceman to die in the conflict.Signaller Didsbury, known affectionatelyas 'Dids', was born in July, 1986, and came from Blackpool.He joined theArmy in August, 2002, and was based with 21 Signal Regiment in Colerne,Wiltshire. As a signaller, he was responsible for tactical communicationsbetween ground and aircraft with the Joint Helicopter Force.Signaller Didsbury was deployed to Basra on a hand-over tour.On 29 June, 2005, twoweeks before his 19th birthday, the departure time of Signaller Didsbury'smission flight was brought forward by an hour.Signaller Didsbury's friend, LanceCorporal Rory Gallagher, offered to drive him to the helipad to catch hisflight. But on their way, Gallagher heard a shot followed by screaming and hisfriend fell to the road.Signaller Didsbury sustained massive injuries to his face from theshot and medics were unable to save him.An inquest showed that the teenager had loaded a round into thegun's chamber, but had failed to secure the safety catch. The Board could notsay how the trigger was pulled and the shot fired, but surmised that speedbumps in the road could have caused the gun to go off.Although Signaller Didsbury had passed weapon-handling skillstests, he had failed a marksmanship test. Soldiers are not normally deployeduntil such tests have been completed.The MoD called the signalman's death a "tragicaccident".Lieutenant Colonel Olly Halstead, SignallerDidsbury's commanding officer, said: "SignallerDidsbury was an outgoing and irrepressibly cheerful soldier who was very wellknown and hugely popular."Always keen to try new things, heseized every opportunity to broaden his horizons and relished the challengesthat operations in Iraq offered. Fit, bright and a capable operator, what set Signaller Didsbury apartwas his enthusiasm and zest for life."
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