| Monday June 30: David Kelly writes to the Ministry of Defence
saying he had met Andrew Gilligan on May 22. Dr Kelly's family notice a
change in him from this point. "He became very much more taciturn, more
difficult to talk to, more tense, more withdrawn," said his widow, Janice.
Saturday July 5: Dr Kelly takes a walk with his daughter, Rachel.
She asks him if the row between Alastair Campbell and the BBC is affecting
his work. His reaction is "alarmed", he "seemed to have the world's pressure
on his shoulders," she said.
Tuesday July 8: MoD releases statement saying an official has
admitted speaking to Andrew Gilligan. Dr Kelly knew his name would come
out and was "desperately unhappy about it, really, really unhappy, totally
dismayed."
Wednesday July 9: The MoD confirms David Kelly is the source
of Gilligan's allegations. Sunday Times journalist Nick Rufford visits
Dr Kelly's Oxfordshire home. He offers the Kellys hotel accommodation in
return for an exclusive article. Dr Kelly was "extremely upset". He felt
"totally let down" and "betrayed" by the MoD. The MoD press office gives
the Kellys five minutes to leave home quickly to avoid the press. They
leave for Cornwall. Mrs Kelly described it as a "very grim time": "He was
exceedingly upset, we both were, very anxious, very stressed." As Dr Kelly
drives to Cornwall, he tries to contact Bryan Wells, his line manager,
but reached an official named only as Kate. He told her he had "cut and
run", a phrase Mrs Kelly described as "uncharacteristic". The couple reach
Weston-super-Mare between 9.30pm and 9.45pm, and check in to a hotel.
Thursday July 10: Newspapers name Dr Kelly as the source. Dr
Kelly is "knocked back" by descriptions of his allegedly "lowly" status.
The Kellys leave Weston-super-Mare by 8.45am. After lunch, the couple arrive
in Cornwall, but Dr Kelly is "very tense" and had "withdraw into himself
completely." Dr Kelly receives several phone calls telling him of the growing
media coverage of the story. He learns he is to give evidence to the foreign
affairs select committee, which would be televised. "He was ballistic,"
said his wife.
Friday July 11: Dr Kelly is preoccupied with arrangements for
him to go to London on Monday July 14 to prepare for his committee appearances.
He worries about coping with briefings from the MoD on top of everything
else.
Saturday July 12: The Kellys visit the Eden Project. Mrs Kelly
said: "He seemed very grim, very unhappy, extremely tense." "It was just
a nightmare, that's all I can describe it as," said Mrs Kelly.
Sunday July 13: The MoD offers to put Dr Kelly up in London,
but he decides to stay with his daughter Rachel instead and sets off, leaving
Mrs Kelly in Cornwall. Before leaving, Dr Kelly sees a Sunday Times article
by Nick Rufford. He "said something like 'Thanks Nick, the MoD will think
I have been talking to the press when I expressly said I would not'." The
couple look at other newspapers, which Mrs Kelly describes as "totally
belittling". Dr Kelly arrives at Rachel's house by 5pm.
Monday July 14: Dr Kelly goes to London for a briefing in the
afternoon. He had accompanied foreign secretary Jack Straw to an earlier
hearing of the FAC and was "deeply, deeply hurt" to hear Mr Straw was upset
he had been accompanied by somebody "so junior". Dr Kelly felt "he was
being treated rather like a fly, I think was the phrase he used," said
his wife.
Tuesday July 15: Dr Kelly appears in front of the FAC. His colleague,
Wing Commander John Clark, said the scientist had been "totally thrown"
by a question from FAC member David Chidgey, in which a quote attributed
to him in a report by BBC Newsnight reporter Susan Watts was read back
to him. Dr Kelly was insulted by FAC member Andrew MacKinlay's assertion
that he was "chaff". Dr Kelly "looked very uncomfortable, very hot, very
stressed" at the hearing, according to his wife.
Wednesday July 16: Dr Kelly appears in front of the intelligence
and security committee. Mrs Kelly takes the train back from Cornwall to
meet her husband, their daughter and her fiance at Rachel's house that
evening. "He looked totally exhausted.... He was obviously very stressed,"
said his wife.
Thursday July 17 : At 8.30am - Dr Kelly and his wife get up,
later than usual. "He seemed subdued and tired but not depressed." Dr Kelly
retires to his study to prepare the report for the MoD. At 11am - Dr
Kelly comes out for coffee but does not really talk to his wife. Later
he goes to sit in the sitting room without saying anything, an unusual
thing for him to do. Mrs Kelly is "physically sick" because her husband
"looked so desperate". At Lunchtime - Dr Kelly "had shrunk into
himself...He couldn't put two sentences together, he couldn't talk at all."
"He was distracted, dejected, I just thought he had a broken heart," she
said. 1.30pm to 1.45pm - Mrs Kelly goes upstairs to rest while Dr
Kelly returns to his study. At 3pm - Dr Kelly takes a phone call
which Mrs Kelly assumes is from the MoD. At 3.20pm - Dr Kelly goes
out for a walk. At 5.30-6pm - Mrs Kelly is very anxious
that her husband has not returned. Daughters Rachel and Sian arrive at
the house. At 11.40pm - The family call the police. An all-night
search for Dr Kelly is launched.
Friday July 18: Dr Kelly's body is found in woods close to his
home.
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