Former Soldier Dies During Charity Clay Pigeon Shoot at Clandon Park

Published on: 18 Sep, 2018
Updated on: 20 Sep, 2018

Map showing the Clandon Estate and the lake by which the incident is reported to have occurred.

A former soldier is reported to have apparently killed himself, by shooting himself in the head, at a clay pigeon shoot at Clandon Park on Friday (September 14, 2018). The police are not looking for a third party.

The shoot was an event organised in connection with the Help for Heroes charity which provides support to service personnel and military veterans with injuries, illnesses and wounds sustained while serving in the armed forces.

Emergency services were called called to the lake in the grounds of Clandon Park House, currently undergoing restoration, at about 11am on Friday morning. They found the man lying on a footpath near his gun and declared the man dead at the scene.

Melanie Waters, Chief Executive Officer, Help for Heroes said: “All our thoughts are with the family, friends and also the veterans and supporters who were at the event at Clandon Park. This has been a huge shock and we are doing all we can to help everyone affected.”

Rupert Onslow

Rupert Onslow, the 8th Earl of Onslow, said: “I have deep admiration for everyone and anyone who risks their life for Queen and Country and it is an inadequate and trite truism to say that this is a tragic event. My thoughts and heart go out to the family and friends of the hero concerned.

“It is a great step forward that in our times the physical and psychological damage acquired by those defending the realm is supported by Help for Heroes, an organisation doing an amazing job in the incredibly complex world that is the psychology of shell shock.”

A spokesperson for Surrey police said: “We received a report from the South East Coast Ambulance Service at 11.23am on Friday (September 14), of a man suffering a gunshot wound following an organised shoot in the Clandon area.

“The man was pronounced deceased at the scene. Officers attended and an investigation is currently ongoing to establish the circumstances of what happened, although at this stage there is not believed to be any third party involvement or risk to the wider public.”

It is understood that the matter has now been passed to the Surrey Coroner of investigation. The man’s body was eventually taken to a nearby hospital mortuary for a post mortem to establish the exact cause of his death.