Unforgettable: radio advert » Growing up in Motherwell, Stuart saw the Army as an opportunity for him to make a better life for himself and not fall in with the wrong crowd in his area.
At 16 years old he joined the Army as a Junior Soldier and did his initial training in Harrogate. He then went on to train at Catterick before joining B Company, The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. After a tour in Kenya, Stuart received a six-month posting to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in October 2009 as part of the 3 RIFLES Battle Group. Although he felt apprehensive and nervous, he enjoyed active service, carrying out the work he had trained to do and working closely with his colleagues and friends.
However, a devastating event occurred on the night of 7 February 2010 that had a huge impact on Stuart. His best friend, Corporal Johnathan Moore, was commanding a section on a routine night patrol when an IED detonated, killing him and Private Sean McDonald, also a friend of Stuart’s. Stuart, who was not on the same patrol, took the news very badly but, as a soldier, had to be strong, get back to work and carry on.
Later that month, on 21 February, Stuart was on patrol, providing cover for the Ordnance Explosive Disposal team (OED). Stuart recalls that it should have been a relatively “easy” patrol. They were checking compounds where local Afghans lived to secure the area for the OED to clear IEDs and other explosive devices and weaponry. Stuart and his colleagues were taking it turns to climb a ladder which enabled them to see over the high compound walls, and carry out their 30-minute watch. On his second stint, as he climbed to the top, Stuart heard the crack of gunfire. The 12-feet fall from the ladder seemed to take forever and, as he landed, Stuart felt a dizzy sensation, but very little pain, and knew right away he had been shot.
Stuart said: “The guys were great – they were all around me in seconds. I had been shot in my upper back and my mates were there, trying to stop the bleeding and keep me conscious. They tried to keep my spirits high and we were having a bit of banter – I was saying ‘I’ll be going home for a pint soon.’”
Stuart had been shot by a sniper and the bullet had gone underneath his body armour, entered his back near his shoulder, punctured his lung, hit his spinal cord and exited out of the other side of his back. The helicopter was there within minutes and he was taken to Camp Bastion. He was put into an induced coma and woke up in Selly Oak Hospital. He said: “It took me a while to realise I wasn’t in Afghanistan any more and it was hard to get to grips with not being with the guys.”
Within two weeks Stuart was sent to the Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow where he was told he had a complete spinal cord injury and would never walk again. As well as having to take in this shattering news, Stuart found his environment strange to begin with, being away from the military environment and being surrounded by “civvies”. However he soon got to know his fellow patients and would talk and listen to them, try to motivate them and keep their spirits up. One patient whom he befriended was journalist Melanie Reid who broke her neck and back after falling from a horse and was left a tetraplegic.
After a stay in the spinal unit Stuart moved into a flat in Glasgow and began the long journey of rehabilitation treatment at Headley Court. In March 2011 Stuart moved into a specially-adapted house in Penicuik, Midlothian, built by the Scottish Veterans Garden City Association. The charity is building 60 properties across Scotland through its £6 million Houses for Heroes appeal, specifically to meet the needs of younger veterans with disabilities. Poppyscotland gave £1 million towards the project.
Today, Stuart is still in the Army and is receiving support from the MoD’s Personnel Recovery Unit (PRU), which is working with him to help him prepare for civilian life. Stuart still travels regularly to Headley Court for rehabilitation. The facility caters mainly for those who have suffered amputations but Stuart believes the spinal injury rehabilitation is greatly improving. Back at home, his family and friends live nearby and he sees them regularly. Stuart is currently doing his life skills course, organised by the PRU, and his aim is to go to college and then on to university to do social work. He has always helped people and even with his own injuries he tries to console, advise and motivate other people.
Although Stuart received life-threatening physical injuries he does not see himself as a hero. He said: “They call us heroes – the soldiers who have been injured. But everybody is doing the same job and everybody faces dangers every day. I am lucky, I don’t suffer from psychological trauma but many of my friends are troubled by events they have seen. A lot of them have nightmares and some use alcohol to blot out memories. I want to see them given the help they need. ”
Speaking of his involvement in the 2011 Scottish Poppy Appeal campaign, Stuart said: “Poppyscotland does a great job – they are helping our boys.”
