British Soldier Dies During Training Exercise in Wales on Hottest Day of Year

Army cadets
British Army officer cadets from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst take part in Exercise Long Reach, in the Brecon Beacons, in Wales, on October 16, 2013. In 2013 three soldiers died while taking part in... Matt Cardy/Getty

Updated | A British soldier has died during a training exercise on the hottest day of the year so far.

Joshua Hoole, who was based at Catterick, in Yorkshire, was taking part in the drill in the Brecon Beacons on Tuesday when temperatures peaked at 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the Met Office.

Hoole, 26, from Ecclefechan, near Lockerbie, in Scotland, served in the Rifles regiment, and was taking part in pre-course training for the Platoon Sergeants' Battle Course. He was due to get married later this year.

John Craig, Hoole's grandfather, said: "He was a beautiful grandson. He was a dedicated soldier. He always wanted to be top dog. He was a superfit boy, he kept very fit."

This is the fourth such death in the area in three years and police have confirmed they are investigating the circumstances.

The BBC reports that his stepmother, Carol Jeffreys, posted on her Facebook page: "Rest easy soldier. My beautiful stepson. Can't believe it. Will always love you.

"So very proud of you. Thoughts with your family and fiancee."

An army spokesperson tells Newsweek : "We can confirm that a soldier from ITC Catterick died on July 19 while conducting pre-course training for the Platoon Sergeants' Battle Course in Brecon."

In 2013 three soldiers died while taking part in an SAS training exercise in the Brecon Beacons during 29.5 degrees Celsius heat—one of the hottest days of that year.

Lance Corporal Craig Roberts died during the march and Lance Corporal Edward Maher and Corporal James Dunsby collapsed and died later. Ten other soldiers also suffered heat illness during the expedition.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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