Pamela Stephenson diagnosed my PTSD

terview was shocking. I was told 22 SAS was ‘high revving’ and if a cog broke they did not have time to fix it.

“I walked out the gate with an aching pain where my spine had been, a headache like no other and my ears were still ringing.” He said: “It has taken 20 years to really know what is wrong with me.”

In 2019, Davie insisted on an MRI brain scan as part of the MOD review of his injuries. “I was found to have a bruise on my left temporal cortex. Although to date the MOD denies that I have any head or brain injuries at all,” he said. Davie, who also served in Northern Ireland and the Balkans, attempted suicide in 2000 and 2006 and had a breakdown at home in Cheltenham.

In December 2005, he contacted Gloucester Drugs and Alcohol Service saying he was worried about himself as he was drinking too much.

Police were called to his home a month later after they were contacted by a friend of Davie, who had texted her saying: “I’ve got a gun and I want to go for it.”

At Gloucester crown court, Davie admitted affray and possession of an offensive weapon and sentenced to a two-year community order and recommended to get psychiatric help.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC told Davie: “I want to recognise that you have given a bit of yourself to your country and is it time now that your country gave something back to you.”

After leaving the forces he worked on the private security circuit as an operations director and carried out a security review for the UN. He said: “I wanted to stop the same mistakes from happening again. I had tried to explain to NHS experts but it was a waste of time.

“The Americans are way ahead of us when it comes to dealing with PTSD. If my memoirs stop one person from going through what I went through I will be very happy.”

The MOD said they could not comment on individual cases.

But Defence People and Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer said: “It is important that our people know they are supported, which is why the Armed Forces’ Compensation Scheme has been designed to provide financial aid to former and serving personnel whose injury, whether mental or physical, was caused as a result of

service.”