BY THE MoD This brave Para, who served with Prince Harry, was forced to sleep rough after the mental horrors of war caught up with him. Today, we demand the Government help him and 1,000s of others with PTSD
committed suicide, it sends you on a downwards spiral. There’s not enough help for serviceman who ask. Everyone sends you endless forms, asking the same questions. They need someone with similar experiences to talk to us.”
Despite his ordeal, Wayne still looks back on his Army career with pride. MORE than 400 wives of servicemen hit by PTSD are using a Facebook group for support after being snubbed by the Ministry of Defence.
Sue Boardman- McInally set up Combat PTSD Angels in 2011 after her ex-soldier husband suffered a He said: “I met Prince Charles when he attended a Colours Parade.
“He knew I was the boxing champ. I said. ‘We’ve got two pints of Guinness, will you toast the regiment?’. So he stayed for a few pints. We were joking about his posh voice so he put on a cockney accent. He was having a good psychotic breakdown. The 45-year-old said: “The group has become a place of safety and peer support.
“The level of military carer support in the UK is woeful and a generation behind the experience of military carers in the US and Australia.” time. I met him after at events and he always remembered me.”
Wayne also served with Prince Harry in Afghanistan and met William while training in the UK. He said: “William was down to earth. I met Harry in Afghanistan, we’d talk to him over scoff. He was sound, one of the lads.”
Determined
Wayne also escorted Princess Diana when she visited Bosnia. He said they drove her to points on the front line where mines had been placed.
He said of her crusade: “She wanted to know what it was really like. She was very determined about that.” Tragically, Wayne is suffering a fresh ordeal after being diagnosed with cancer three times in a year.
Last October, he noticed a lump on his neck. As he did chemo and radiotherapy, a desperate friend called Catterick Garrison to get him help.
They put her in touch with Dave Tindale of Changing Step North East, which supports ex-servicemen. Within two weeks, Dave found him a place to stay and was helping with his benefits. Wayne said he owes the charity a huge debt and plans to volunteer with them.
He said: “I am speaking out to raise awareness and I want to help. I’d like to get the Defence Ministers and show them how many messed up ex-military are on the streets. The country and Government need to take action.”
Earlier this year, Wayne had a testicle removed and two weeks ago doctors found another tumour in his chest.
He said: “Cancer has kicked me up the bum but I’ve not given in. Since leaving the Army, I’ve been down, back up and knocked back down again. I have to keep fighting.”
A Government spokesman said support available includes the Armed Forces Covenant, the Veterans’ Gateway and the upcoming launch of a cross-Government Veterans Board.