thedrifter
12-21-07, 02:28 AM
From The Times
December 21, 2007
Traumatised Marine 'drank himself to death'
Michael Evans, Defence Editor
A Royal Marine was so traumatised after witnessing the sufferings of wounded comrades in the Iraq war that he drank himself to death, an inquest was told yesterday.
Corporal Steven Oddie, 38, who served with 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, was involved in rescuing colleagues who came under fire during a river reconnaissance operation.
One of the injured who was a close friend subsequently died. Although he wanted to be with him, Mr Oddie was ordered to get on with the rescue mission, Naomi Oddie, his widow, told the inquest in Plymouth.
The 29-year-old widow and mother of two children said that her husband had post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosed but she claimed he received “haphazard” counselling from the military to help him to come to terms with his experiences. She said: “On that operation Steven was involved with rescuing casualties. He had helped to take one man back from a boat and give him first aid. Then one of his best friends was rushed in. Steven wanted to help and comfort him but he was told to carry on with the rescue.”
She added: “He had to listen to him screaming in agony. Steven asked if he could give his ration of morphine but was told he could not. His friend died.”
Mrs Oddie, a childminder from Plympton, said that he turned into a different person. “One minute he would be playing with the children and the next I couldn’t get him out of bed and he was bawling his eyes out.” The inquest was told that between 2004 and 2005 he was admitted to the Priory Hospital in Bristol three times and that he was drinking up to a litre of vodka a day. “His counselling seemed haphazard and I was never given the chance to go along with him,” Mrs Oddie said.
Last Christmas Mr Oddie was working as a shelf stacker. On December 27, after a row, he and his wife slept in separate beds. The next morning Mrs Oddie found him lifeless in bed. He died of acute alcohol poisoning. Robert Newman, the coroner, recorded a verdict of accidental death and said: “Mr Oddie was a casualty of war.”
Ellie
December 21, 2007
Traumatised Marine 'drank himself to death'
Michael Evans, Defence Editor
A Royal Marine was so traumatised after witnessing the sufferings of wounded comrades in the Iraq war that he drank himself to death, an inquest was told yesterday.
Corporal Steven Oddie, 38, who served with 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, was involved in rescuing colleagues who came under fire during a river reconnaissance operation.
One of the injured who was a close friend subsequently died. Although he wanted to be with him, Mr Oddie was ordered to get on with the rescue mission, Naomi Oddie, his widow, told the inquest in Plymouth.
The 29-year-old widow and mother of two children said that her husband had post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosed but she claimed he received “haphazard” counselling from the military to help him to come to terms with his experiences. She said: “On that operation Steven was involved with rescuing casualties. He had helped to take one man back from a boat and give him first aid. Then one of his best friends was rushed in. Steven wanted to help and comfort him but he was told to carry on with the rescue.”
She added: “He had to listen to him screaming in agony. Steven asked if he could give his ration of morphine but was told he could not. His friend died.”
Mrs Oddie, a childminder from Plympton, said that he turned into a different person. “One minute he would be playing with the children and the next I couldn’t get him out of bed and he was bawling his eyes out.” The inquest was told that between 2004 and 2005 he was admitted to the Priory Hospital in Bristol three times and that he was drinking up to a litre of vodka a day. “His counselling seemed haphazard and I was never given the chance to go along with him,” Mrs Oddie said.
Last Christmas Mr Oddie was working as a shelf stacker. On December 27, after a row, he and his wife slept in separate beds. The next morning Mrs Oddie found him lifeless in bed. He died of acute alcohol poisoning. Robert Newman, the coroner, recorded a verdict of accidental death and said: “Mr Oddie was a casualty of war.”
Ellie