An elite RAF trooper left so deafened by “incredibly noisy” aircraft and gunfire that his friends and family accuse him of ignoring them is suing for up to £100,000.
Alastair Bidwell, 55, served for 12 years in the RAF Regiment – a unit tasked with defending air bases, supporting special forces and providing forward air control and ground combat support.
The regiment, nicknamed the “Rock Apes”, was formed during the Second World War to prevent attacks by German paratroopers. Celebrated former RAF troopers include football legend Brian Clough and actor Brian Blessed.
Mr Bidwell, now a plastering and project manager, left the services in 2000 after years spent training with “incredibly noisy” aircraft and firing thousands of rounds from guns ranging from infantry rifles to heavy machine guns and missiles whilst serving in zones such as the jungles of South America, Bosnia and Kuwait.
He is now suing the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for tinnitus and hearing loss so bad “it appears as though he is ignoring his family and friends when he cannot hear them properly”.
He is claiming up to £100,000 compensation on the basis that military bosses should have been aware of the need to limit noise exposure, including by providing adequate ear protection, and should also have given warnings about the potential hazards.
In court documents, his barrister, Rachit Buch, said the former RAF man was “persistently exposed to dangerously high levels of noise” while on duty at the firing ranges or on exercises, leaving him with long-term “permanent noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus”.
Mr Bidwell’s exposure to extreme noise started soon after he began basic training at RAF Swinderby, in Lincolnshire, when he carried out range training with an infantry SLR assault rifle, firing roughly 80 rounds per day.
While on the range, he was issued with “standard issue green ear defenders”, but the weapon noise was still audible, claimed his barrister.
Later, he progressed to training with a general-purpose machine gun, live grenades and mortars, firing off thousands of rounds of ammo.
“On range, he used push-in grommets which appeared to do very little, if anything, to reduce, noise levels,” stated Mr Buch.
“He wore no hearing protection most of the time on exercise.”
When subsequently serving with a ground defence unit, Mr Bidwell had to train for long periods with a Harrier jet fighter squadron, “using small arms and at times creating a 50-metre perimeter to the aircraft”.
Other combat training included firing rocket launchers, as well as carrying out jungle warfare deployment in Belize, “with a large amount of small arms fire and pyrotechnics without hearing protection for the majority of the time”.
“He undertook fighting in built-up area training, primarily with small arms, but also with pyrotechnics – grenades, thunderflashes and schmoolies, hand-launched flares – often in confined spaces such as hallways, stairwells and rooms,” explained his barrister.
During another posting, he carried out training with small arms and also Rapier surface-to-air-missile, but often had to “lift up one ear of his ear defenders”.
On subsequent tours of duty in the Gulf, he was exposed to a “huge amount of aircraft noise”, said his barrister.
“Throughout his service, he flew in a variety of aircraft, some of which were incredibly noisy,” claimed Mr Buch, highlighting his exposure to the din created by massive Hercules transport planes and the Gazelle helicopter.
Mr Bidwell, of Trearddur Bay, Holyhead, Wales, claims compensation for tinnitus and hearing loss from the MoD on the basis that he was not sufficiently protected from suffering injury to his hearing.
Explaining his condition, Mr Buch stated: “He suffered what he thought was temporary ringing in ears or muffled hearing while serving.
“Hearing loss has become more severe, as it appears as though he is ignoring his family and friends when he cannot hear them properly.
“This is worse where there is background noise, such as in shops or restaurants, hampering his ability to take part in social activities.
“His phone is turned to maximum volume and need for hearing aids has been advanced by around 10 years.
“He struggles to hear colleagues at work. His tinnitus affects his sleep, leaving him tired during the day times and at work.”
In its defence to the action, MoD lawyers are asking for the case to be stayed, pending the outcome of a cluster of similar “test cases” relating to deafness caused during service, which are due to be heard in the High Court later this year.
The MoD also says it will be asking Mr Bidwell to prove any hearing loss that he has suffered and loss that has resulted from it.
