Christopher Alder death

Christopher Alder, 37, a former paratrooper and Falklands War veteran, died on the floor of the custody suite at Hull's Queens Gardens police headquarters in April, 1998 after being arrested. He choked to death on blood and vomit resulting from injuries he had sustained in the earlier fracas while officers ignored him and carried on chatting. R.I.P.

`What should we do with the drunken soldier?`

Thank you soldier for your duty in Iraq
But unfortunately you still need to wait at the back
Our Doctors are busy
Our Nurses are stressed
We will get around to seeing you
Were Doing our best

The soldiers chair is empty
He’s gone to his meds
A bottle of cheap whisky
Will sort our his head

Sat on a park bench he screams at the moon
He smashed the bottle then whistles a tune
His Regimental March
He needs another drink
He pulls up his collar
Smelling his own stink

Along comes two policeman
They tell him to move
He asks why he should?
They say their not in the mood
They drag him from the bench
Then put in the boot

He’s back in Iraq being attacked by a mob
They kick and they punch and they bite and they stab
The cops take him to hospital
He screams, "Ive been in Iraq"
They tell him to keep his mouth shut
And sit at the back.

© Tony McNally

VETERANS RADIO NET

Hi, my name is Ken Campbell and I’m a 56 year old Falklands War Veteran (I served 9 years 1977/86 in the Royal Engineers) who was diagnosed as suffering from Combat Stress in 2007.

Now with that wonderful thing called “hindsight” I can look back and see what sort of affect that had on my life in the years between 1982 and 2009

A short account would look something like this:

• I have lost two loving relationships (I left both of them)
• A number of homes
• A number of jobs
• A hell of a lot of cash
• I have spent time living rough
• I have tried to take my own life several times
• I have been sectioned twice, that is sent to psychiatric lock-ups
• Spent way too many nights in police sells
• Way too many mornings in Magistrates courts
• And 18 months of my life in prison (07/09)
• In short I have spent YEARS putting my self but more importantly the ones I love the most through the “LIVING HELL” that is Combat Stress.

ALL of this I have to say was fuelled by my abuse of ALCOHOL.

Pretty sad reading I know, but my story, although unique to me, is sadly far too often heard, albeit using different words, coming from far too many other Veterans.

That was the “OLD ME”. Now I am a completely different person due in most part to the love & belief of family, very good friends and the understanding and help from other Veterans, this I will talk about many times on Veterans Radio Net.

Listen HERE