The betrayal of British fighting men & women

In his scarlet ceremonial uniform, Lance Corporal Justin Smith looked immaculate as he arrived for the Coldstream Guards mess ball. After returning from his second tour of duty in Iraq, the 32-year-old was looking forward to relaxing with old comrades and swapping tales of war.

But the evening did not go well. As the drinks flowed, another soldier became agitated at the memory of a friend and fellow soldier who had died at war. L/Cpl Smith tried to calm him down, saying they had all lost people close to them.

"I said I'd lost Molly [his close friend L/Cpl Ian Malone]". But the other soldier could not be placated. "He said he didn't give a fuck."

Something exploded inside L/Cpl Smith's mind. "I just snapped and wanted to kill him," he said last week. "I had six people sitting on top of me. I'd lost all self-control, all inhibitions. I couldn't stop crying."

An Army doctor diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a psychological condition where people relive harmful memories.

The soldier had never heard of PTSD, but the diagnosis did explain why he had been suffering from nightmares for two years.

But the nights did not become any less troubled. He was stationed in Germany, but became unable to do his job. The Army medically discharged him and he came home last August - with no job, no home, and no self-belief.

Today, he works doing odd jobs building fences. He and his wife and three children live in temporary accommodation, while he tries to get NHS treatment for his nightmares.

He feels abandoned. After serving in war, he has been forgotten in peace. Outwardly Mr Smith has no wounds; inside, he bears unimaginable mental scars of war. And he is bitter.

"I always believed it [the Army] was a big family, but the family had turned its back," said Mr Smith, who now lives in Cornwall - and has a picture of himself in ceremonial uniform hanging on the wall.

Last month he came face to the face with the man he - and thousands of other former soldiers - blame for forgetting about him after serving in Iraq: Tony Blair.

Appearing on local television, he rounded on the Prime Minister, not for waging the war but for breaking the moral rule that soldiers and their families are cared for in return for being willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. He told Tony Blair, "I have lost my house, my security and any self-belief. I want to know what the Government is going to do for people suffering the same as me?"

Today, on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the war launched to oust Saddam Hussein, that is a question being asked by leading politicians, Army welfare charities, senior military figures and the forgotten soldiers themselves.

As part of a new campaign to achieve justice and care for the estimated 20,000 victims of what was once called shell shock, high-profile figures have signed a letter, published today by this newspaper, which calls on Tony Blair to show the fair and just treatment our servicemen and women deserve.

They have called on the Government and the Army to stand by the military covenant, a pledge given to British troops that they will receive decent medical care and support in return for their sacrifices.

That covenant has been broken. The Independent on Sunday today publishes harrowing testimony from soldiers who have served their country - only to face inadequate treatment, for physical and mental injuries; to lose their homes after being discharged; to be jailed for conditions caused by the mental trauma of war; and denied the right to have their grievances heard.

More than 17,000 troops are estimated to be suffering from anxiety and depression, and around 3,500 reservists are thought to be facing similar problems. Yet, between January 2003 and October 2006, only 2,123 military personnel received treatment for mental health conditions from the MoD; of these, 328 were diagnosed with PTSD.

Specialists at King's College London estimate that up to one in four soldiers suffers from mental problems after returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Charities, including Combat Stress and the Royal British Legion, which provide support for soldiers, warn that the figure could rise: doctors are poor at recognising conditions such as PTSD, and servicemen and women are reluctant to open up to people without battle experience. They say it could take years for those serving in current conflicts to seek help and that there will be a huge social cost unless urgent action is taken.

Signatories to the letter published overleaf believe that those serving in - and returning from - the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have become the forgotten soldiers.

Max Hastings, the military historian and commentator, said: "If men and women of the British Army are going to put their lives on the line it is enormously important to them to believe they are serving a just cause and are getting the support they need at home.

"This is tragically lacking today and many of us are fearful that the armed forces are suffering damage, and lasting damage, at the hands of the Blair Government and its policies.

Menzies Campbell, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "The military covenant has been broken. It is contradictory to hail the professionalism and commitment of our armed forces while failing to look after them properly."

Dr Liam Fox, the Tory defence secretary, said: "Under Tony Blair the military covenant has been broken, our armed forces have been let down and taken for granted."

The scale of the problem affecting returning soldiers is expected to grow. The Royal British Legion warns that it is increasingly seeing cases of psychological damage, and warns that numbers will soar in the months and years ahead.

The charity says that mental illness is often at the root of cases involving homeless soldiers and those who have drug and alcohol problems. Its field officers are reporting a surge in the number of officers under the age of 40 who are reporting mental health problems.

Graham Richardson, who works for the Royal British Legion, was previously a welfare officer for 3 Commando Brigade, where he was told the term post traumatic stress disorder should never appear on a serviceman's form.

Royal Marines do not suffer from PTSD, he was told by a senior officer. But he believes that nearly one in three ex-servicemen that come to him for support are displaying symptoms of shell shock.

Dedicated units for troops are desperately needed, he says. Many turn to drink or drugs to suppress the horror and only the strongest of marriages can cope with the stress.

In one case, an ex-soldier fired a crossbow at his wife after experiencing a flashback. The man was arrested for attempted murder although his wife pleaded for him not to be. He ended up in prison with 30 other ex-servicemen all with mental health issues. Mr Richardson regularly gets calls from the partners of men returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, concerned that their men are showing classic signs of trauma: nightmares, night sweats and uncontrollable flashbacks.

As the men are still serving, he can only advise these women to convince their partners to ask a regimental medical officer for help.

"We could fill a psychiatric military unit in Devon and Cornwall alone," said Mr Richardson, who has more than 20 years' experience of dealing with the effects of combat stress.

"When they [the soldiers] are discharged they become just another civilian, another number in the queue. I think they are being let down. Many in the NHS don't understand PTSD. They class it as depression and try to treat it with pills."

Toby Elliott, chief executive of the charity Combat Stress, said that in view of the 20 per cent year-on-year jump in the number of people seeking help, it will need a further £2m "to stand still". It has also learnt that the MoD is considering transferring its funding to the NHS.

"The mental health services are completely overwhelmed with seriously ill people and they don't have the resources to deal with mental health problems that might be extremely damaging and ruin lives," he said.

Many already have been ruined. Sgt Rob Cosgrove, 39, who served in Iraq in 2003 and 2005, is one of more than 1,000 ex-soldiers believed to be homeless.

He said yesterday: "I served my Queen and country and I served it well, but I didn't expect this. I feel betrayed. The Army just doesn't want to know about people like me."

The former soldier spent 14 years in the Second Battalion of the Parachute Regiment. He served as a sniper in an elite reconnaissance unit, but has been homeless since leaving the Army five weeks ago. "All I got from the Army was £100 and a kick up the arse."

The closure of military hospitals means that injured troops are being transferred straight from the battlefield to civilian wards. In some cases, officers are being sent back to war despite suffering combat trauma such as nightmares and flashbacks.

Yet, at the end of this month, Haslar hospital in Gosport will close, making Britain the only western country without a dedicated military hospital.

Millions of pounds have instead been spent on a military managed ward at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham. But there are only 16 beds for servicemen who do not need specialised care. Soldiers with head trauma or burns are treated on wards alongside civilians.

There has been anecdotal evidence of verbal abuse by patients against servicemen at Selly Oak. Last year, one paratrooper said he was told by a patient that he was "killing my Muslim brothers in Afghanistan". Another said he was advised to remove his uniform and not talk about Iraq when he was at another UK hospital.

The MoD has defended its decision to close Haslar. Officials maintain medical staff need to be involved on a "day-to-day" basis treating patients if they are to keep up their skills and respond quickly to a wide range of casualties.

However, Peter Golding, a clinical physician at Haslar, says moving everything to Birmingham is a decision of "gross stupidity".

"There is an unacceptable number of military personnel who require proper medical treatment who are having to wait," said the former naval doctor.

Even General Sir Richard Dannatt, the new head of the Army, has spoken out by insisting on separate military wards.

There are 15 centres nationwide provided by the MoD to treat psychiatric outpatients, but inpatients are sent to the Priory, the private medical group.

The Government has also set up pilot schemes in four health authorities where dedicated psychiatric nurses will advise GPs on the care of veterans.

Justin Smith intends to keep his ceremonial uniform. He is proud of his time as a soldier. And he will never forget Molly, the friend who was killed.

But Paula, his wife, believes her husband will never be the same. "I have watched him change since he came back, and it is hard," she said yesterday. "He used to be soft, easy-going and loving. Every now and then he will laugh and smile and it seems like it's how it used to be. But that's all behind us now. It will never be like it used to be."

The Military Covenant

First drafted in the times of the Duke of Wellington in the 19th century, the military covenant is a mutual obligation outlining what soldiers should receive in return for the sacrifices that they make.

The Army last reviewed the covenant in 2005.

"Soldiers will be called upon to make personal sacrifices - including the ultimate sacrifice - in the service of the Nation... In return, British soldiers must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals, and that they (and their families) will be sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service.

The chain of command, from the Government downwards, is responsible for articulating and sustaining the morality and justice of the cause in question... Only on this basis of absolute confidence in the justice and morality of the cause can British soldiers be expected to be prepared to give their lives...

Soldiers accept an open-ended commitment to serve whenever and wherever they are needed, whatever the difficulties or dangers may be.

The ethos of the Army is sustained by all soldiers doing their duty with an implacable will to succeed; accepting their grave responsibility and legal right to fight and kill according to their orders and their unlimited liability to give their lives for others; confident that in return the nation will look after them and their families."

Abandoned: The victims on the home front

The mentally ill: L/Cpl Justin Smith

L/Cpl Justin Smith, 32, served in Iraq from 2003-04 with the Coldstream Guards. He was medically discharged last August, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. His breakdown was triggered by a drunken soldier saying "he didn't give a fuck" that one of Mr Smith's friends had died in Iraq. "I just snapped. I had lost all self-control. I couldn't stop crying." His family is living in temporary accommodation as he tries to get treatment on the NHS. "You just feel abandoned, passed from pillar to post."

The injured: L/Cpl Daniel Twiddy

L/Cpl Daniel Twiddy, 23, served in Iraq in 2003 with the Queen's Royal Lancers. He was asleep on top of his tank near Basra when it was hit by "friendly fire" that killed two of his friends on 25 March 2003. "I remember crawling on my hands and knees, screaming, with blood running down my face," said Mr Twiddy. He suffered serious facial injuries, burns and shrapnel wounds and was left deaf in one ear. Mr Twiddy has had 20 operations and faces many more. "Once you are discharged, the MoD doesn't want anything to do with you."

The bereaved: Paygan Aston, five

Paygan's father, Cpl Russell Aston, was killed in Iraq in 2003. For her, it is tragically simple: "Why do people go to war?... I wish my Daddy wasn't dead." Her mother, Anna Aston, knows it is only a matter of time before her daughter finds out how her father died. Cpl Aston, 30, was one of six Royal Military Police killed by a mob in Majar al-Kabir, southern Iraq. "She was 17 months but she knew something terrible had happened," said Anna. "She used to run over to protect me because she felt people were upsetting me."

The suicide: Capt Ken Masters

Capt Masters, 40, was found hanged at his camp in Basra in October 2005. One of the highest-ranking British Military Police officers in Iraq, Capt Masters - a father of two from Portadown - had told his wife Alison that he felt over-worked, unsupported by his boss and disrespected by subordinates. "Despite the fact that I was seriously concerned about his health, and that many colleagues noticed the deterioration, unfortunately there was no adequate system for those concerns to be raised," said Alison.

The prisoner: L/Cpl James Piotrowski

L/Cpl James Piotrowski, 23, of the Irish Guards served in Iraq in 2003. Described by his seniors as "a man of great potential", Piotrowski is now serving seven years in prison for possession of a live firearm and assault. His problems began after returning from Iraq in 2003, when he talked of his "head exploding". His family says he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Piotrowski was arrested in November 2004, following a manhunt, after a rifle missing from his barracks was found hidden in his mother's wardrobe.

Awol: Pte Mark Pryce

Pte Mark Pryce, 20, served in Iraq in 2004 with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. His family noticed a change after he returned from his tour of duty, as he began to drink heavily and self-harm. When the young soldier went absent without leave in March 2005, he simply returned home. He was dismissed from the Army last July. "We were dealing with someone who seemed brutal and distant. But when he began to crack, the Army did nothing to help him - then chucked him out," said his mother, Karen Michie.

Abandoned: The five killed last week on the front line

Best of mates and comrades in arms Ross Clark and Liam McLaughlin die side by side in battle

Lance Bombardiers Ross Clark and Liam McLaughlin were not just comrades in arms but friends who did everything together. Last week they died together. The pair, pictured during Arctic parachute training, died during a rocket attack on 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery in the Sangin area of Helmand Province on Saturday last week. Zimbabwe-born Clark and "Paddy" McLaughlin, from Lancashire, had been serving in Helmand province since September and were only a few weeks away from returning home.

Lieutenant Colonel Neil Wilson RA said after their deaths: "It is particularly poignant that this battery should lose two of its members on the day that it celebrates its distinguished service in battle, and the entire regiment is profoundly saddened by the loss."

L/Bdr Clark grew up in South Africa before joining the British Army in 2002. He saw his time in the UK as an opportunity to explore another part of the world and spent much of his free time visiting sights and cities and catching up with friends from South Africa.

Colleagues described the soldier, who was an accomplished triathlete, as "a determined, intelligent and motivated young man".

L/Bdr McLaughlin enjoyed surfing and often spent time touring the UK in his campervan. He turned 21 in December while in Afghanistan. He was described as having a "ready smile, indomitable spirit and boundless energy and was superb company".

Des Browne, the Secretary of State for Defence, said: "I was greatly saddened to hear about the deaths of L/Bdr Ross Clark and L/Bdr Paddy McLaughlin in Afghanistan on Saturday. By all accounts they were clearly very professional, capable soldiers who were greatly respected by those who worked with them."

Pte Wysoczan, from 4 Platoon, B Company, 1st Battalion the Staffordshire Regiment, died aged 21 in a UK hospital last Sunday from injuries sustained during a patrol in south Basra. He was shot by an unobserved gunman. The soldier from Stoke-on-Trent joined the Army in January 2006 and was deployed to Iraq on Boxing Day last year. Pte Wysoczan's father Dany served in the Royal Navy and his brother Jason will also join B Company.

The commando: Marine Benjamin Reddy

Marine Reddy, from 42 Commando Royal Marines, was killed when his unit came under fire during a clearance operation in the Kajaki area of Helmand province. He was 22. Marine Reddy, from Berkshire, joined the Royal Marines in 2005 and was deployed to Afghanistan in September 2006. His family said: "This is the saddest day of our lives. Our son Ben's death has left us feeling totally empty. He was and always will be our hero, not only as a son but as a brother to Jamie."

The veteran: WO2 Michael Smith

Warrant Officer Class 2 Michael Smith was the third member of 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery to die in Afghanistan last week. WO2 Smith, 39, died on Thursday from injuries sustained by a grenade fired at the UK base in Sangin, Helmand province. WO2 Smith, from Liverpool, had served for 22 years and had been deployed in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Kuwait and, finally, Afghanistan. His family said they are "drawing their strength from Michael".

Lauren Veevers

An open letter to Tony Blair

Dear Prime Minister

We the undersigned believe that the military covenant is a cornerstone of our democracy, a mutual obligation between the nation, the armed forces, and every serviceman and woman. It is a common bond of identity, loyalty and responsibility that has sustained the armed forces - and the country - throughout an often difficult history. In practice, this means that governments make the decisions, and the armed forces implement them. In return, the armed forces have:

* the right to expect any war to be lawful;

* the right to have adequate resources to carry out the tasks the politicians demand of them;

* the right to be properly cared for in the event of injury;

* the right to know that, in the event of their death, their families will be looked after properly.

This is a terrible war that has led to hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians being killed, maimed or displaced. At best, the legality of the war is dubious. Britain's hard-pressed armed forces have been denied the support they require; in some circumstances, service personnel have paid with their lives because of this failure to make required equipment available.

Accommodation for many of the armed forces and their families back home is, as General Sir Mike Jackson, former chief of the general staff, says, "frankly shaming". Military hospitals in this country have been closed while they have never been more essential, and wounded soldiers evacuated from the battlefield suddenly find themselves on civilian wards and at risk of physical or verbal attack from members of the public.

Servicemen and women are receiving insufficient treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, and many are desperately ill, out of work, homeless, and even suicidal. We also believe that the Government is failing properly to look after the British widows and the children left behind.

We believe that the military covenant is broken, and that you have neglected the young men and women who carry out your orders in our name. At a time when the country is asking so much of our overstretched forces, it is failing to play fair by them. In this, you have prime responsibility, and you should at the very least meet the families of the bereaved to discuss their concerns. We call on you to reconsider your approach towards our military personnel, to restore the vital covenant, and to deliver to our men and women the just and proper treatment they deserve.

Yours sincerely

Debbie Allbutt, wife of Cpl Stephen Allbutt, 35, of the Queen's Royal Lancers, died 25 March 2003;

Anna Aston, wife of Cpl Russell Aston, 30, of 156 Provost Company, died 24 June 2003;

Roger and Maureen Bacon, father and mother of Matthew Bacon, who died in Iraq in 2005;

Iain Banks, author;

Billy Bragg, musician;

Vince Cable, Lib Dem MP;

Simon Callow, actor;

Sir Menzies Campbell, leader of the Liberal Democrats;

Dominic Cooke, artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre;

Jeremy Corbyn, Labour MP;

George Crabb, formerly flight sergeant, RAF aircrew;

James and Ray Craw, parents of L/Cpl Andrew Craw, 21, of 1st Battalion, Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders, died 7 January 2004;

Andy de la Tour, actor, playwright;

Brian Eno, musician;

Rose Gentle, mother of Fusilier Gordon Gentle, 19, of 1st Battalion, Royal Highland Fusiliers, died 28 June 2004;

Richard, Karen and Catherine Green, parents and sister of Lt Philip Green, 30, of 849 Squadron, died 22 March 2003;

Katharine Hamnett, fashion designer;

Ed Harcourt, musician;

Mike Hancock, Lib Dem MP and member of Commons defence committee;

Nick Harvey, defence spokesman, Liberal Democrats;

Sharon Hehir, wife of Sgt Les Hehir, 34, of 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, died 21 March 2003;

Pauline Hickey, mother of Sgt Chris Hickey, 30, of 1st Battalion the Coldstream Guards, died 18 October 2005;

Bianca Jagger, human rights campaigner;

Carol Jones, mother of Sgt John Jones of 1st Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, died 20 November 2005;

Reg Keys, father of L/Cpl Thomas Keys, 20, of 156 Provost Company, RMP, died 24 June 2003;

Peter Kilfoyle, Labour MP and former armed forces minister;

George and Ann Lawrence, parents of Lt Marc Lawrence, 26, of 849 Squadron, RNAS Culdrose, died 22 March 2003;

Ernie Morton, father of

current serving member of the Parachute Regiment;

Tracy, Tony and Mair Pritchard, wife and parents of Cpl Dewi Pritchard, 32, of 116 Provost Company (volunteers), died 23 August 2003;

Elfyn Llwyd, Plaid Cymru MP;

Janet Lowrie, secretary for Military Families Against the War;

John McDonald, Labour MP;

Natasha McLellan, partner of Matthew Bacon;

Patrick Mercer, Conservative MP and former soldier;

Craig Murray, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan;

Harold Pinter, Nobel laureate and playwright;

Adam Price, Plaid Cymru MP and defence spokesman;

Mark Thomas, comedian;

Arthur Smith, comedian;

Sue Smith, mother of Pte Philip Hewett, 21, of 1st Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment, died 16 July 2005;

Janet Suzman, actress;

Ben Wallace, Conservative MPand former soldier;

Susannah York, actress

Have your say: 'Independent on Sunday' readers are invited to become signatories to this letter. You can do so by emailing your name and address to sundayletters@independent.co.uk

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