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John Butt

John left his home for the last time in 1999 when it was repossessed. He had no home, no job and no hope. To make matters worse, he was suffering with diabetes, depression and was having flashbacks to his experiences of the Falklands War.

John served in the Royal Navy; he had always wanted to join the Forces. When the Falklands War broke out in 1982, he was aboard the Baltic Ferry below deck and surrounded by live ammunition when it came under fire from Argentinean aircraft. His job was to refuel helicopters. On the day that the Galahad and Sir Tristram were hit, it was mayhem and John saw images he has never forgotten. "Every time I opened a door onto the helicopter's cargo area I was faced with badly burnt soldiers. It looked like their faces were melting. Each time I opened another door I prayed I wouldn't be faced with anything worse than the last time," John said. "Those experiences haunted me for many years."

Life was hard for John when he returned home after the war. He began to develop clear signs of PTSD - flashbacks and nightmares of his time in the Falklands - which affected every aspect of his life. He no longer enjoyed his job and gave in his notice. Depressed, and alone with his memories, John began to drink more. Before long John was in serious financial trouble. He was offered a job in a pub with accommodation, not an ideal situation for John, as he was surrounded by alcohol.

Through another Falklands' veteran, John met a leading PTSD psychologist who advised him to leave his job and move out of the pub. John took the advice, but effectively made himself homeless. "Thank goodness I met Julie, an Ex-Services Resettlement Officer from The Royal British Legion. She realised I was in a dreadful state and helped me apply for a flat at The Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation." John got his flat and with help from a grant from The Royal British Legion he furnished it with essential items. "Getting a place of my own really turned my life around."

Once John had settled into his new flat he felt he had to find a job. "It wasn't so much for the money; I needed to work for my self-esteem." Currently, John has a job in London, which he really enjoys. The last few years have been a long and difficult journey for John. With the help of The Royal British Legion and the Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation, he has rebuilt his life. "That first night at the homeless hostel, I thought that was it: my life was over. I could never have imagined having the life I have today."