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Kate-Boe

A veteran interview with

Kate Boe

Kate Boe served in the Royal Air Force as a nurse, where she met her husband John – a military policeman.

John was diagnosed with PTSD which ended his career in the military, and the treatments for his condition have sometimes made things worse. Kate describes her battle to help her husband…

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About Kate Boe

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.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Lizzie Gray

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Home | Veterans | Kate Boe

A veteran interview with

Kate Boe

Kate-Boe

Kate Boe served in the Royal Air Force as a nurse, where she met her husband John – a military policeman.

John was diagnosed with PTSD which ended his career in the military, and the treatments for his condition have sometimes made things worse. Kate describes her battle to help her husband…

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Boe, Kate. A Veteran Interview with Kate Boe. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 11 Jan. 2020 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/kate-boe/. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
APA Style:
Boe, K. (2020, January 11). A Veteran Interview with Kate Boe [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved April 17, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/kate-boe/
Chicago Style:
Boe, Kate. 2020. A Veteran Interview with Kate Boe. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, January 11. Accessed April 17, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/kate-boe/
Harvard Style:
Boe, K. (2020). A Veteran Interview with Kate Boe. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 11 January. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/kate-boe/ (Accessed: 17 April 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Boe, K. A Veteran Interview with Kate Boe [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2020 Jan 11 [cited 2025 Apr 17]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/kate-boe/
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David Craig

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Upon joining the Merchant Navy in 1940, David served on the oil tanker SS Vimiere. During his early career, he witnessed a ship sink whilst returning from Halifax, Nova Scotia – a disheartening experience that marked the beginning of several challenges at sea.  David trained as a wireless operator and was part of the Russian convoy JW53, braving a nasty hurricane that forced multiple ships to turn back. His vessel successfully reached Murmansk, where he recalls narrowly escaping an aircraft bombing while anchored. The ship was damaged during an attack but, luckily, disaster was avoided. For his efforts, David received a King’s Commendation.  By the age of 19, David had ascended to the role of Chief Radio Officer on the Eastern Prince, a refuelling ship for the convoy. He reflects on his scariest convoy where, despite the odds being stacked against them, he and his crewmates survived a relentless bomber attack.    There are also some lighter moments that David recounts. One involves the unexpected retrieval of a giant bear in Murmansk. He also has fond memories of surviving on spam (which he still likes) and sailing to amazing places.  David's colourful stories illustrate his resilience, courage and camaraderie at sea. 
Photo Gallery icon 1 Photo
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Bob Brand

He experienced bombing in WW2 and joined the RAF where he saw service in the Berlin Airlift, the Malayan Insurgency and the Korean War.

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Photo Gallery icon 15 Photos
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Interviewed by:
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An interview with

Mildred Schutz

Mildred recalls her training as a FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry) and the work she did for the resistance in Italy near the front line

Mildred Schultz recalls how she grew up on a farm and went to school in Walton-on-Thames. She attended a business college in Kingston and from there worked at a shipping company in Cobham. Even though her job was protected, she volunteered and joined the Inter-Services Research Bureau. She explains how she went to work at S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive) headquarters in Baker Street London, realising she was working for the resistance movement, reading and destroying reports. Asked if she would travel abroad, Mildred said ‘yes’ and undertook FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry) training at Chicheley Hall in Bedfordshire. From here she was sent to Italy for further training on a boat and describes how they were pursued by U-boats, bombed and machine gunned. In Italy she became the PA to the man in charge of maps and equipment, and then worked as an assistant to the Admin Captain Amos. She recalls spending a snowy Christmas in Monopoli and then onto Siena to the Headquarters of Number 1 Special Force, taking a perilous jeep journey up a mountain road with boulders near the front-line with guns aimed at them. On a lighter note, Mildred remembers a makeshift Christmas service under a derelict chapel with many nationalities, some of whom had escaped from Prisoner of War camps, and also Germans who had escaped and given up, all singing carols together.
Service:
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