An inquest into the death of a Royal Marine from Carlton has heard of the last minutes of his life. Emma Matthews reports...

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A "TRUE hero" is how Lance Corporal Martin Gill is described by his commanding officer, Ewen Murchison.

Fondly nicknamed Fish by friends and colleagues, L/Cpl Gill died while protecting fellow soldiers from enemy fire on patrol in Afghanistan.

He was just 22 when he died from a gunshot wound on June 5 last year. L/Cpl Gill, of Kensington Gardens, Carlton, had been in Afghanistan as part of 42 Commando Royal Marines for only two months but had already been promoted.

In a statement read to the inquest into L/Cpl Gill's death, Lieutenant Colonel Murchison, who led 42 Commando, said the young Marine "undoubtedly had a bright future ahead of him".

It added: "A true hero, he died taking the fight to the enemy in the finest traditions of the Royal Marines: selfless, resolute and courageous to the end."

The inquest, at Nottingham Coroner's Court, heard how L/Cpl Gill had been part of a routine patrol to collect biometric data from locals in the village of Adensee, in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province.

Major Jason Durup told the hearing that the village was known to have some insurgent activity, with the main threat to troops coming from improvised explosive devices.

But on the morning of the Marines' foot patrol, the atmosphere in the village had been friendly, with locals and their children going to talk to the servicemen.

Corporal Dearan Withall, who was positioned close to L/Cpl Gill, said: "We were messing around with the children. A boy came over with a baby, asking for chocolate and sweets and stuff."

Marine Alan Ruston, who was also on the patrol, added: "It was great. There was nothing in my mind to suggest that something would happen."

While other members of the patrol gathered information, including photographs and fingerprints, L/Cpl Gill's job was to provide cover for the patrol and the local people. They were packing up to leave at about 8.10am when suddenly the atmosphere changed.

"I can't remember when the crowd disappeared, it must just have been in a split second," said Cpl Withall.

"That's when the loud noise of a weapon firing system from an enemy point opened up and all the earth and ground kicked up by our feet."

As he moved towards cover, he saw L/Cpl Gill get shot.

The bullet hit his head and neck – an area that would not have been covered by his body armour and helmet – and killed him almost instantly.

But, while the Marines admitted they knew he was probably dead, they fought valiantly to save him. Some of the patrol provided covering fire while others performed first aid and attempted to move his body to an area of open ground where a helicopter could airlift him to hospital. But to get there, they had to cross a deep ditch. This was filled with waist-high water and they had needed to use two ladders to cross it to get into the village.

Marine Rob Holbrook carried L/Cpl Gill on to his back, while others supported his weight. Coroner Mairin Casey said to him: "You had to fireman's lift him over that trench which, bearing in mind how difficult it was without this trauma, seems almost a superhuman thing to do."

Attempts were made to resuscitate L/Cpl Gill on board the helicopter but he was pronounced dead at 9.45am.

Recording a verdict of unlawful killing, Miss Casey praised the efforts of the patrol. "[They] did everything they possibly could to save his life," she said. "Tragically, the evidence makes it clear that was impossible."

She called the death an "appalling tragedy" and offered her condolences to members of L/Cpl Gill's family who attended the inquest, including younger brother John-Daniel, sister Rebecca and girlfriend Lauren Jacques.

Afterwards, L/Cpl Gill's uncle read out a statement on behalf of the family. He, too, praised the efforts of the patrol to get Martin to safety.

"We realise this was a loss to them and not just our family," he said.

"Many of the questions we had regarding Martin's death have been laid to rest today and in the last few weeks.

"The support we have received from the force and from 42 Commando has been exemplary."