For one veteran, his war didn’t end in Iraq, and now, with VE Day fast approaching, this Liphook veteran is urging people not just to remember the fallen – but to protect the living.
Alan, 41, served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers from 2000 to 2007, including a brutal tour in Iraq. After overcoming PTSD and the devastating loss of friends, he has raised more than £700 for mental health charity Combat Stress by running 50 miles through March. On April 20, he went the extra mile by completing the Leeds Half Marathon.
He finished in 1 hour and 51 minutes, placing 9th in his age category among approximately 390 half marathon participants, out of around 1,000 competitors across all events.
“I am thrilled at how much was raised for Combat Stress,” Alan said. “It was a fantastic and somewhat exhausting day! I know that every penny raised will help the charity to continue delivering its specialist treatment to veterans with military-related trauma. I would encourage anyone who is thinking of fundraising for Combat Stress to go for it. It’s a great cause. Thank you to the many generous donors that have supported, and continue to support my efforts.”
Alan's journey underscores the challenges many veterans face.
“Some of the things I saw – you’re trained to carry a gun, but nothing prepares you for the scars of war,” he said. “I was prepared to do my job as a mechanic and engineer, but then people start shooting at you and dropping mortars, and there’s no shelter – you just have to cross your fingers and hope it lands somewhere else. You’re just a six-man team out there, so you’re seriously vulnerable.
“You push through the stress at the time, but it all builds up.”
A turning point came nearly ten years after leaving the service.
“I was at a Remembrance parade in Grayshott – the service had ended, and I was just sat there in tears. I realised something was really wrong.”
Seeking a fresh start, Alan moved to New Zealand and began to rebuild. "Combat Stress play a big – and their work save lives."
Alan’s no stranger to loss – his best friend Dean John was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, and Andrew Bowman died in a training accident. He also lost a close friend, Daz, to suicide – another former serviceman. “He seemed fine. Happy. But no one asked if he was okay. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to save someone.”
Mental health remains a taboo topic in the military, Alan notes. “There’s this macho mindset. But young men are putting everything on the line – their bodies and their minds – and too often, it’s ignored.”
His mission now is clear: raise awareness, fund vital services, and reach veterans before it’s too late. “These things are chronically underfunded. Even a £1 donation could help. I just want to shine a light on a charity that helps people get their lives back.”
To donate to Alan’s fundraiser for Combat Stress, visit: https://givestar.io/gs/leeds-running-festival--april-2025-47941
