Garry Burns shares an engaging account of his service aboard RFA Tidespring during the Falklands War. Raised in a Children's home, Garry understood hardness and strict discipline from a young age. These qualities would benefit his transition into the Royal Navy when he joined. After enlisting at sixteen, he trained as a Gunner, working aboard many warships from HMS Cambridge to HMS Reclaim. This was before choosing to become a merchant sailor, serving aboard RFA Tidespring as a Paint locker-man. Despite leaving the navy, he would soon find himself entering a warzone after Tidespring was called to Ascension Island in preparation for war in the Falklands. Something Garry thought was a joke because the message was received on April 1st. While sailing to South Georgia with a group of other warships, Garry recalls how they were required to bunch up and mimic cargo ships to avoid detection from Russian Satellites who were monitoring them. At South Georgia, many crazy stories unfolded such as, struggling to send marines ashore after the crashing of two helicopters and the drifting of a recovery boat. After the bombardment and surrender of South Georgia, the crew were given the opportunity to inspect the hamlet of Grytviken. Garry was stunned by how forsaken it was. It resembled a ghost town in which everyone had left, yet much was left behind. During the war, they brought hundreds of POWs aboard, including crew members of the Santa Fe submarine which had limped onto Grytviken after being attacked. When meeting the prisoners, Garry noticed how bedraggled some of them appeared. He managed to form healthy relationships with some of them, especially since he knew Spanish from his earlier voyages in both South and Central America. This made him the crew's unofficial translator. Being born mixed race in the 1950s, Garry never had an easy time making friends, especially early on. However, his life aboard Tidespring proved to be a happy one and his skin colour was valuable in gaining the assurance of POWs who may have found it difficult to trust someone of a more English disposition. Garry's story captures the advantages that come from growing up in undesirable circumstances, from the success that can still be attained and the surprising way in which new bonds can be formed.    

Content warning// This interview contains discussions of sensitive topics such as PTSD, suicidal thoughts and vivid flashback description which some viewers may find distressing. If you are affected by these topics, please consider seeking support from a trusted person or organisation.   Kate was training to be a nurse with the RAF when she met her husband-to-be, John, an RAF Police Officer. They both completed tours of Iraq and John went on to complete one more and also two tours of Afghanistan. Each time John returned, Kate started to notice slight differences in his character, such as an increase in drinking and frequent nightmares. She was grateful of both her RAF and medical training as it helped her understand the mental shift between home and work that John was having to manage. John sought help but was told there was nothing medically wrong and he was to carry on as usual, which he did. It was the birth of their son that Kate thinks caused John’s nightmares and flashbacks to intensify. He sought help again and this time was diagnosed with severe PTSD and signed off work, but without his job to provide a sense of purpose John struggled to function. John tried both CBT and EMDR therapies but Kate feels they both made the situation worse. John is now on a medication pathway. Kate describes this as an incredibly isolating time as no one knew what she was going through. She felt she could hardly leave John alone, especially when he started having suicidal thoughts. However, when she joined Band of Sisters she found a supportive group of women with shared experiences. She even managed to attend a weekend away which really helped her realise how stressed she was. She describes finding Band of Sisters as a real turning point which helped her realise she needed to take care of herself too. John has also found help through Help for Heroes and has attended a few courses and is now a qualified bushcraft and survival instructor. John has recently had a cancer diagnosis and Kate reflects that, sadly, the cancer process has been much smoother than the PTSD. Kate feels it is incredibly important for others to hear their story so they know they are not alone. She is even compiling a book.

Content warning// This interview contains discussions of sensitive topics such as PTSD, depression and suicidal thoughts which some viewers may find distressing. If you are affected by these topics, please consider seeking support from a trusted person or organisation.   German Uli met her partner Alex while he was working for the Professional Service Guard. He had previously served for almost 18 years with the Royal Logistics Corp and Uli knew bits and pieces about Alex’s time in Northern Ireland and Sierra Leone. In 2015 Uli noticed that Alex was becoming quieter and retreating into himself, he admitted that he was feeling depressed. Alex was diagnosed with PTDS. It was recommended that Alex join Band of Brothers for support and that Uli join Band of Sisters. She didn’t think she would need assistance herself but wanted to find out more about supporting someone through PTSD and depression. Uli is incredibly open about Alex’s symptoms of depression, anxiety, being hyper alert and burying his emotions. The more stories she heard from the Band of Sisters, she became incredibly grateful that Alex was never physically or verbally abusive. Alex’s treatment was slow and it took a very long time, and a great deal of pain to manage, before he was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia, or chronic pain syndrome. Thankfully, he had Uli to chase and advocate on his behalf but he now lives with extreme pain on a daily basis. Uli describes how she used to try and be superwoman for Alex but it all became too much. She worried so much about him, especially when he had suicidal thoughts. Uli sought help and was given medication and also undertook therapy with Hidden Wounds which she says was brilliant. The Band of Sisters has also been a terrific support. Not only is there always someone there who knows what you are going through, Uli has also been involved in numerous fundraising activities such as trekking in Cambodia. But Uli knows the road ahead is still difficult, she confesses she has had dark thoughts herself and only by opening up did she realise these were likely caused by her medication. She admits she never puts herself first and hopes that by sharing her and Alex’s story it will help others to reach out and find help.