THE FRIENDS of Bromsgrove soldier Rob Homans who took his own life are walking to 10 Downing Street to raise the issue of a condition thought to have caused his death.
Rob’s childhood friend Alex Pallett, along with town veterans Ben Layton, James Dixon and Mark Lamare, will undertake the 100-mile trip from Bromsgrove, starting on November 7 and reaching Number 10 on Armistice Day (November 11).
Alex, Mark, Ben and James. s
There, they will deliver a letter ‘filled with love, loss and a desperate call for change’ to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer from Rob’s mum Dawn Turner.
Dawn believes Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) – caused by a sustained use of heavy weapons and explosives overwhelming the brain’s ability to heal itself – was responsible for Rob’s death.
TBI leads to life-changing neurological symptoms and it is believed thousands of veterans could be affected. There is a well-researched connection between brain injury and a higher risk of suicide.
Rob’s life
Rob grew up in the town and attended South Bromsgrove High School before joining the Army Foundation College in 2006, at the age of 16.
He served in the Royal Horse Artillery for 10 years and worked as an an artilleryman, firing guns, before being promoted to bombardier.
He was completely deaf in one ear because of all the bangs during two tours in Afghanistan really affecting his health.
He was plagued by constant headaches which he longed to stop.
After getting divorced he tried to find suitable accommodation but was put on a two-year waiting list.
Dawn arranged for Robert to have a referral to Combat Stress, a charity treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in military veterans but there was a six-month wait for an appointment.
She tried Operation Courage, the NHS mental health scheme for veterans where, again, there was a lengthy wait.
On August 22 this year, after years of trauma and three previous attempts, Rob took his own life.
The case is currently going through the Worcestershire Coroner with an inquest scheduled for February 2. But only the cause of death will be ascertained.
Dawn has requested an Article 2 investigation, which is hard to obtain, to get TBI listed as the cause of Rob’s death.
If successful at ascertaining this injury – and the fact it was caused as a result of working with guns – is upheld, it will be the first ruling of its kind in the UK.
Dawn said: “In America, this is already in place – they have done research for the past 15 years which has recently been released.
“And it is those studies we will be using in a bid to get a result.”
Dawn has now formed ‘Rob’s Army’ to campaign for change to highlight the issue of TBI and the plight of veterans when their armed service comes to an end.
Dawn said: “Too many veterans are falling through the cracks and too many families are left to pick up the pieces alone.
“Too many lives are also being lost when they shouldn’t be.”
Visit facebook.com/robsarmyjusticeforveterans or email Dawn at: [email protected] for more on Rob’s Army and the campaign.
