surely part of the selection would envolve self preservation and the buddy check system, dehydration is a killer and is basic stuff that a soldier would understand and know how to deal with it.
You would think so, but then these lads were in the later stages of selection, judgement was probably impaired by the shear will to succeed. Death or glory sorta attitude.
Walshie is right though, Afghanistan would be a fair bit hotter!
I know it sounds harsh but it reminds me of that SAS chap that used to do that civilian selection programme on tv, he said something like "death is god