‘Veteran was let down’ by forces charity
ADEFENCE minister has apologised to a Falklands War veteran who went on hunger strike in protest at his treatment by a military mental health charity.
Tobias Ellwood told the Commons he stood ready to help Gus Hales further, adding the charity Combat Stress has acknowledged it “got it wrong” with the veteran.
Conservative MP Chris Davies (Brecon and Radnorshire) said his constituent, Mr Hales, had been camped outside the charity in Newport, Shropshire, after not receiving the treatment he “quite rightly deserves”.
Combat Stress has previously issued a statement in which it said it “unreservedly apologised” for the manner in which Mr Hales was discharged from its services in 2015, adding a review would be undertaken to identify if any other veterans have been “improperly discharged”.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Davies said he has been involved in the case of Mr Hales for three years and told MPs: “This is somebody who was a serving soldier in the Falklands conflict and other conflicts around the world and he hasn’t had the treatment he quite rightly deserves.
“Just before Armistice Day I was sitting in Newport, which is a two-hour drive from my constituency, on a grass verge sitting outside Combat Stress where he has a conflict and an issue with, in a most undignified manner because there I was sitting next to a gentleman who has served this country and was on hunger strike because of complaints he had held.
“They were very justified complaints.”
Mr Davies praised Mr Ellwood for having meetings with himself and a 45-minute phone chat with Mr Hales.
Mr Ellwood said: “Combat Stress does an amazing job. But in providing support for our armed forces, occasionally people fall through the gaps and we must make sure that doesn’t happen.
“Can I formally apologise to Gus Hales for what he has gone through? As [Mr Davies] mentioned, he said we’d spoken on the phone. I stand ready to meet with him again.
“Combat Stress has put their hand up to say yes, they got it wrong with Mr Hales. I thank him for his service and what he’s done for the country.
“We must learn from this and if anybody else has also received a level of support which is questionable and not what we would expect, then absolutely please come forward.
“Let’s learn from this, let’s move forward, let’s make sure we support our brave veterans to the standard that they expect.”
Mr Davies acknowledged criticism of Combat Stress, but added: “They do a tremendous amount of work, as do so many of our charities, but mistakes were made, as the minister has said, and the minister has ordered a review into Combat Stress into that period of time where mistakes were made, where veterans have slipped through the net and I can only praise him again for that.”
He also urged veterans to keep visiting Combat Stress.