An Army veteran threw his medals into the river as he "couldn't feel proud about being a soldier anymore" and felt let down by his country.
Tony Routledge, 62, served as a Royal Signals Bombardier and left the Army after a 30 year career due to a knee injury in Iraq. He began to struggle with his mental health after leaving the forces and found it hard to adjust to civilian life.
The veteran had financial difficulties and in desperation, stole £1,000 from his employer in order to pay his council tax arrears.
He turned himself into the police the next day and took out a loan to repay the money. Tony served six weeks in in prison and was fined £5,000.
Tony Routledge threw his medals into the river
GB News
After he was released, the father of five felt let down by society and believed his service in the Army had been disregarded.
Tony threw his six medals into the River Swale in Richmond, North Yorkshire, and contemplated taking his life.
"I just stood on the end of the pier and flung my medals in [to the river] and I was just screaming, I mean, I don't know what I was screaming, but I was just screaming and screaming," Tony told GB News.
"After my medals went in to the river, it sort of it hit me that my kids, they would miss me.
"I didn't feel as though society and well, shall we say, politicians and people like that, I didn't feel as though they respected the forces anymore with the way the country was going.
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Tony posing with his medals
GB News
He served as a Royal Signals Bombardier
GB News
"I felt as though I'd put on a uniform for 30 years to protect this country, and it was just being let open and things were going on.
"I felt that the country didn’t care about my service, and I had effectively wasted my life. I had reached such a low ebb and just couldn’t feel proud about being a soldier any more."
The Army veteran was referred to Royal British Legion by his support worker from Adult Social Services. The charity was a lifeline for Tony and restored his pride in serving in the forces.
Tony suffers from depression and post traumatic stress disorder and stopped taking care of himself, which lead to his teeth falling out. He became a recluse and was isolated inside his flat.
The Royal British Legion funded Tony's dentistry bills, which has given him his confidence back, and provided him with a phone and laptop so that he can keep in touch with his children.
Tony is now in the process of getting his medals back and looks after a memorial garden at The Beacon in Catterick, which offers supported housing for homeless veterans.
Tony even met with Princess Anne whilst in the army
GB News
After he was released, the father of five felt let down by society and believed his service in the Army had been disregarded
GB News
"I went back to thinking, you know what? It doesn't matter if other people don't think I did anything, or if this country is going down a little bit, what matters is how I felt at the time and how I felt doing the things and what I felt when I was in there," said Tony.
"Being out and having problems shouldn't change that feeling from the past. I'm so proud of serving."For Tony, Remembrance is an important tribute to the fallen.
"It's a celebration of their lives, what they did, of how they sacrificed themselves." he said.
"Especially when you think about the First World War and then the Second World War, and, you know, people who served in Korea and places like that.
"But to me it's a remembrance of all of them, everybody that served."
Funds raised for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal help veterans like Tony and honours them for their service.
The appeal aims to raise funds to offer financial, employment, housing and mental health support for the armed forces community.
This year's campaign is aimed at highlighting the mental scars linked to military service.To find out more and to donate, click here https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/popp...
