A veteran discovered hanged in his barracks was traumatised after the Taliban tortured and murdered his finest pal, an inquest heard.
Lance Corporal Ryan MacKenzie was devastated when fellow Scottish Highlander Scott McLaren, 20, of Edinburgh, was killed in Helmand Province in 2012.
Scott was grabbed after wandering off from a checkpoint whereas serving with D Firm, 4 Scots regiment.
The Ministry of Defence had denied Afghan claims Scott was tortured.
However Lance Corporal MacKenzie “instructed his household his finest pal had been hanged from a tree and skinned”, an inquest heard.
His commanding officer Lt Col Alistair Aitken added that Scott McLaren’s loss of life “had a big effect on everybody” serving there on the time.
It was the primary of two excursions Ryan, of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, accomplished for Operation Herrick between 2013 to 2014. His unit, 4 Scots Highlanders, then returned to Catterick base.
The inquest heard, 30-year-old Ryan, a PT teacher,was “match and wholesome ” however had psychological well being points.