Soldier killed in Unimog accident named

Private Meredith Simms

The Defence Force has named the soldier who died in yesterday's Unimog accident as 18-year-old Private Meredith Simms.

The crash, involving only the Unimog truck at Weld Pass, south of Blenheim, yesterday also injured another soldier who was driving the vehicle.

Major General Lou Gardiner, Chief of Army, expressed his continued confidence in the Unimog fleet this afternoon.

The Unimog Private Simms was travelling in was heading south as part of a convoy about 2.30pm yesterday when it left the road and went about 50m down a bank before landing on railway lines.

Private Simms, of Upper Hutt, joined the Army in March 2006 as a rifleman. After completing his initial basic training in May he began training as an infantry soldier, the Defence Force said.

He recently applied for a corps change to be an army driver and began working with the Burnham based 3rd Logistic Battalion.

The driver is in a stable condition in Wellington hospital with spinal injuries. The Defence Force said the driver was fully qualified to operate the Unimog.

The vehicle was returning to Burnham Military Camp after a 10-day exercise in the Marlborough region involving 15 vehicles.

The remaining soldiers returned to Woodbourne Air Force Base near Blenhiem after the incident where they received counselling by a military chaplain, military psychologists and New Zealand Police Victim Support.

They will return to Burnham today.

The family of Private Simms have requested privacy at this time, saying only that their son died doing what he loved.

A Court of Inquiry has been convened.

- NZHERALD STAFF