Mystery of ex-soldier dead in Iraq

Jan 7 2008 by Kevin Donald, The Journal

MYSTERY surrounds the death of a North man who was protecting American officials in Iraq.

Father-of-one Richie Coel, 28, a former soldier who was based in Basra, died suddenly just days before Christmas.

His stunned wife Claire, who is also 28, is now awaiting the outcome of tests to find out how he died.

At their home in Stanley, County Durham, she said: “We’ve been told he was found in his room and died of natural causes, but we don’t know yet what happened.

“I last saw him in November and we’d gone to Thailand as we always tried to do special things together when he wasn’t working.

“Richie was such a bubbly person, who’d do anything for anyone. He made friends so quickly and was a very popular guy.”

Mr Coel, who has a six-year-old daughter Ellie from a previous relationship, would spend two months in Basra before heading home for four weeks. He was due to return home on January 26.

He had joined the Army at 16, signing up to the Second Light Infantry Battalion where he served for six years touring Kosovo, Germany and Belfast.

For the last three years he had worked for security company Armor Group.

His father Allan said Mr Coel, who has younger sisters Gemma, Hayley and Laura, had been a keen boxer and mountain biker when growing up.

He said: “At 16 he said he wanted to join the Army. It was the career he wanted and one he’d researched thoroughly.

“No matter what he was doing he always wanted to do the best he could.”

An inquest has been opened. Mr Coel’s funeral will take place tomorrow at St Andrew’s Church, in Stanley.