An Army sergeant took his life just days after being interviewed by police, an inquest has heard. The body of Alex Cairnie, who was serving with the Queen’s Royal Hussars regiment, was found by a bird watcher on remote land near his barracks on July 8 last year.
An inquest at Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner’s Court heard how the 30-year-old had been interviewed at a local police station days before going missing. Police launched a search to find him on July 6 and said in a public appeal that he was last seen leaving Tidworth Camp, a major British Army garrison on Salisbury Plain. However, Mr Cairnie’s body was found on a hillside at Warren Hill, in Tidworth, just two days later.
As reported by the Swindon Advertiser, senior coroner David Ridley said in summary of evidence from Mr Cairney’s wife, Lucy: “You then become aware that there had become police involvement and Alex was the subject of an investigation.
“For reasons I am not going to go into, there were some restrictions and he couldn’t return and arrangements were made to find him some lodgings elsewhere. The Army gave him a room.”
After being given accomodation at Tidworth Camp, Mr Cairney was put on the unit at risk register. Captain Alastair Walker was also assigned as his welfare officer.
Mr Ridley added: “The last text message that Capt Walker received from Alex was at 5.14pm on that Saturday where he just stated, ‘Just pinning my hopes on good news on Monday’. At 12.04pm on July 6, Capt Walker texts Alex to ask what he was up to for the day and he received no reply.”
Captain Walker was then unable to reach Mr Cairney by phone call so went to his room to see if he was there. After finding it empty, he called Wiltshire Police.
Captain Walker told the inquest: “I rang civilian police to inform them that Alex’s whereabouts was unknown and that the military had welfare concerns because of recent events.”
Mr Ridley explained that police investigated his death but no suspicious circumstances were found. He recorded a conclusion of suicide.
The coroner continued: “Alex’s body was discovered on Tuesday July 8 2025 in a remote part of Warren Hill. Alex went missing from the barracks at around midday on July 6.
“I think there is enough evidence on the balance of probabilities to record a suicide conclusion.”
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