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Read the latest updates and view archived articles from Walking With The Wounded's 'Walking Home Home For Christmas' December campaign.
Anthony's Veteran Story
By Walking With The Wounded on
Every penny you raise for Walking Home For Christmas will support people like Anthony...
Joined the Army at 16, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, and served 16 years with tours in Germany, Sinai (Egypt), Beirut and five tours in N.Ireland. His mental health declined in the Army but Anthony said, “the last thing I wanted to do was lose my command. I clammed up and didn’t dare talk about it. You keep it to yourself; us men clam up.”
Decades later his wife persuaded him to seek help and he was referred to WWTW by Combat Stress.
“I’d been having flashbacks for the past 26 years but hadn’t spoken to my wife about them. I can talk about what I saw now. I couldn’t talk to people before without breaking down, or shaking. Now I can. The funny thing is my wife noticed the difference (the treatment) made to me. It’s like being married all over again.”
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John's Story
By Walking With The Wounded on
Inspired by his Grandad’s WW2 stories, John always dreamed of joining the Army. He served with the 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery in Germany, training as a Signaller and Gunner Driver before progressing to special operations and reconnaissance.
John was being fast-tracked for promotion when his father became seriously ill and needed a triple bypass. Given the risk, John was granted a special waiver to leave the Army immediately so he could be at home. Thankfully, his father survived.
Missing his military career, John found work with the local council fitting exterior doors. In March 2016, however, his spine catastrophically collapsed following years of heavy lifting. He was told he would never work again. Severe mobility problems,...
Zoe's Story
By Walking With The Wounded on
Inspired by her father and grandfather’s passion for aviation photography, Zoe dreamed of joining the RAF. After COVID-19, she made that ambition a reality, overcoming a challenging 10 weeks of basic training despite being a slow runner and suffering an abductor strain.
With a natural aptitude for technology, Zoe trained at RAF Cosford as a Cyberspace Communications Specialist, working with ground-based systems, IT infrastructure and the security of UK military networks. She thrived in the role and joined the RAF Cycling Development Team.
Her next posting at RAF Waddington involved demanding, high-security work. The isolation, relentless pressure and stress gradually took their toll, and Zoe was eventually medically discharged...
Toby's Story
By Walking With The Wounded on
Serving in the Royal Engineers for four years, Toby’s deployment to Serbia was a life-changing time resulting in lasting mental trauma. Only 21 when he left the military, Toby’s transition back into civilian life was not straightforward and he relied heavily on drink.
His life started to implode until he was finally diagnosed with PTSD and help came through veteran services. Toby was initially in the RAF cadets when he was 17, but when looking for a career he decided to enlist in the Army. He qualified as an HGV driver with the Royal Engineers and he enjoyed military life, making strong and lasting friendships with the guys he served with.
Toby was eventually diagnosed with PTSD and received intensive treatment at Combat Stress, the...