If everyone could just spare 5 minutes to read this, you could all help me make a massive difference to something that is slowly becoming more popular for the wrong reasons.  

Me and my girlfriend Annabella are raising awareness of mental health issues. One of my closest friends, Ben, is currently in a dark place and feels he can't speak about his issues and worse, even with myself. I have found this difficult and at times have felt helpless when I want to support him.  We are both veterans of the British Army and served together in Afghanistan.  

To help raise money for the charities that have given much needed support and care, I will be walking from my home in Sheffield to Ben's home in Leatherhead, Surrey. I WILL complete the 180-mile journey without stopping.

We found ourselves in the same troop, fighting 1st as we would call it. The troop was dominated by members of the 1st Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, Reconnaissance Platoon. Many of whom had previous combat experience in Afghanistan. Lancers were few and far between and having already proved my worth out in Kenya, I was accepted by them. Ben however found himself in a position that I had been in several months earlier when the squadron formed ready to start training for Afghanistan. Being the jovial, merry Yorkshireman I am (for reference, this has since changed now I'm older, bitter and a hater most things. God, I hate traffic. Anyhow, I digress!) I thought I’d take Ben under my wing. Ah kid! At least this is how I like to think it happened. Regardless, we became friends.   

Months of training past and the deployment was nearly upon us. In recognition of this myself, Ben and two other friends decided it would be wise to spend our last few days at home in Magaluf. Oh, dear god. I sometimes look back now I've aged and am considerably wiser, what was worse, Afghanistan or Magaluf? But that’s a story for another time!  

At the back end of September 2012, Ben and I deployed to Afghanistan to conduct some last minute IED search training before the rest of the BRF joined us a few weeks into October. We were both point men for our respective sections, which basically means human sniffer dogs for bombs, bits and everything that may harm you. This role and tour was not only hard work physically and mentally, it was a hard-hitting reality of the danger we were in and the lives of many others we were responsible for. It was a life changing experience that has shaped and changed me in ways I never thought possible and is something I, and everyone else I served amongst, will always remember and be proud of.   

Six months into the tour winter had passed and March approached, by this point we battle hardened warriors who had conducted numerous operations across Taliban held regions of Helmand province. At this point the BRF had suffered many casualties and by the end of the deployment the 120-man strong squadron had suffered around 33% casualties. On 22nd February 2013, my friend Ben became one of them. Ben was providing cover for his section on the roof of a compound when contact broke out. Gun fight for those who don’t know military jargon. Ben, who had been armed with a machine gun and had returned fire taking the fight back to the enemy, was hit. A bullet from an AK47 had ricocheted and hit him in the wrist. Not glamorous but the wrist stopped the bullet from possibly hitting him in the neck or head. You see you support the machine gun with your left arm, gripping the butt while firing with the right. (I should have drawn a picture but I can't draw - all men have their limits!).  As his section worked to quickly protect and evacuate him, the live fire continued and Ben unfortunately incurred a serious injury to his neck as his fellow comrades worked to get him off the compound roof. Once safely out enemy fire, Ben was airlifted back to Camp Bastion for immediate medical attention.   

As the operation continued into the following day, we were all worried for our wounded comrade. Not knowing the full details of how he was kept me awake most of that night. When I arrived back in Camp Bastion my immediate thought was I need to see Ben. I cleaned my weapon, restocked my kit for the next op, showered, ate, slept, showered, shaved, possibly had a dump but I can't remember, ate again, then visited my injured friend. I've got priorities Ben. Food before friendship, right? I was overjoyed to find Ben stuffing his face, he had been in surgery and was starving. I think this was an after effect of the drugs because he was smiling ridiculously too. Please see the picture with this post. It was either that or he was just odd from the off.   

After Ben returned home, this is when the mental battles really began. He was faced with the worrying prospect of potentially losing his hand, personally I think this was down to him overthinking how to play his Xbox with only one hand but that’s just me! Faced with this, the constant pain in his neck and feelings that he needed to be with his troop and comrades, his depression and anxiety worsened. He was then transferred to Germany, where he was left feeling more and more isolated, and continuously tormented by mental battles that he is still working through today. To see my dear friend in such a way has hurt me.  

Since leaving the Army he has since sought the help and support of Combat Stress and is working his way through the journey to recovery. To see my friend suffer from this experience is heart breaking but seeing him on the road to recovery is the best feeling in the world.   

In honour of him and what he has and continues to go through, We are both going to walk 180 miles across the country from my home in Sheffield to his in Leatherhead (Surrey). Although this will be a difficult challenge that will be both mentally and physically painful, this will be nothing compared to what Ben and many of our fellow soldiers have and are still experiencing. Your donations will help to raise awareness and enable these charities to continue their valuable work. My connection is through the Military but we all know someone who has suffered mentally for various reasons. If you would like to support this, you could join me for part of the journey and make a donation via my Just Giving page. Any donation, no matter how small, will help support the amazing work this charity does to help people and stand up to the stigma of mental health.   

To clarify, I would have driven to see Ben and avoid the ball ache of walking, but the car is due it’s MOT and the engine light is on.   

Josh & Annabella