Deepcut play is welcomed by families

Jun 6 2008 by Gordon Bannerman

THE mother of an army recruit who lost his life at Deepcut barracks has welcomed a cutting edge play highlighting a series of tragedies.

James Collinson and Geoff Gray, both 17-year-old privates, were among four soldiers found with gunshot wounds at the base.

Their deaths prompted allegations of bullying and abuse at Deepcut.

The play, “Geoff Dead: Disco For Sale”, is likely to be highly critical of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Government responses to the deaths. It chronicles the families' six-year struggle for answers and campaign for a public inquiry.

Private Collinson's mother Yvonne, from Perth, said she and husband Jim had developed a close and mutually reliant relationship with the Grays.

Reflecting on a determined and high profile campaign for answers, Yvonne said: “I don't think we could have done it without each other because although family and friends gave us support, nobody knew what we were going through. Two sets of strangers became the best of friends.”

James was found with a single gunshot wound upwards through his chin in March 2002. Six months earlier Private Gray, from Seaham in Co Durham, was found with two gunshot wounds to the head while on guard duty at the barracks.

Geoff’s father, also called Geoff, said the play would highlight the difficulties the families faced in taking on the authorities.

“I am hoping it pricks the public conscience again. It shows just how badly we have been treated as families of soldiers,'' he said.

The play's author, Fiona Evans, said the boys' parents were determined that the piece should pay tribute to their sons.

“They wanted the play to reflect the spirit and personality of Geoff and James,” she said.

Mrs Collinson recalled she only became aware of the other deaths at Deepcut when she went to identify her son's body and was given the Grays' telephone number.

The families quickly rejected claims their sons' had committed suicide and began their fight for a public inquiry into their deaths.

“Geoff Dead: Disco For Sale” will go on stage at the Live Theatre in Newcastle from October 9 to November 8.