Save Our Soldiers

THE widow of a veteran who is one of at least 24 suspected forces suicides this year is demanding an inquiry into the PTSD epidemic.

Samantha Davies says it would take Prince Harry to be diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder for the Government to take seriously.

Her ex-corporal husband Jamie, who was a sniper in the 4th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, died aged 32 after a three-year battle with PTSD.

The dad-of-two is among dozens of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in suspected suicides this year. Another took his life last week.

Samantha, a former sergeant in the Royal Artillery, said: “My husband survived the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but was failed by a government that doesn’t care about veterans with PTSD.

“I’d say to Gavin Williamson (the Defence Secretary) ‘How many more veterans must kill themselves before you admit there is a problem?’

“Prince Harry has been great supporter of British troops and veterans with mental health issues. If he was suffering from PTSD then the Government might actually do something. But us minions don’t matter.”

Jamie, who served in the Army for 11 years, first tried to kill himself in April. Heartbroken Samantha said: “He felt that we would be better off without him. He felt he couldn’t go on. He had taken an overdose but he recovered and seemed to be in better spirits.

“Then he went to the funeral of another veteran who had committed suicide and who also had a family. Afterwards Jamie said to me, ‘I could never do that to my kids’ and I thought we had really turned a corner.

“Jamie’s PTSD had been treated by Combat Stress but he received nothing from the MOD. He began to exhibit symptoms a couple of years ago but he struggled to talk about it. I think he felt a lot of guilt.

“He had been a sniper and that’s a difficult job. He also struggled with survivor’s