Our stories

Rifleman Stephen was 19 when he was wounded by a mortar bomb whilst serving in Basra in 2007. He received brain injuries which left him severely disabled. Stephen’s disability means that he uses a wheelchair and communicates via a tablet.

Stephen now lives at Royal Star & Garter, where he finds the care “Excellent”. He is sociable and enjoys sharing the activities on offer in the Home with his fellow veterans. His courage is striking: he perseveres with regular Physiotherapy at the Home which helps him to maintain his strength and wellbeing and to control pain. Staff work with Stephen and his family to help him live as independently as possible and to lead a full and interesting life.

The Second World War was a few months old when Pat was born in Bournemouth, at the end of 1939. Despite being young, there are parts of the conflict she vividly remembers, such as the glow in the distant night sky which was Southampton Docks being bombed.

Pat Joined the Women’s Royal Army Corp in 1957, aged 17, and served for three years, until marrying Robin in 1960. They met while working at the Proof and Experimental Establishment at the Shoeburyness Army base. Pat was an Experimental Assistant in Gunnery while Robin worked in radar. Pat helped create measurement tables for mainly naval guns.

Pat attended our Day Care service when in first launched. She said “I’ve made some really good friends here and they serve a very nice lunch. There’s so much going on, and you’re never bored. It’s full of life.

Michael was born near Gerrards Cross in 1948. Both his parents served during WWII – his mother was a nurse in the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps and his dad was a doctor with the Royal Army Medical Corps. At the age of 21, in 1969, he joined the Army’s Royal Tank Regiment. Michael said: “I’d always wanted to serve. I’d lost uncles in the War, and my father had died from an illness which was thought to be caught in Burma. So I felt there was a duty of care.”

Serving in the Royal Tank Regiment was a joy for Michael. He said: “I loved it. There's nothing to beat sitting out on a summer's evening with the tank held in cover, and you’re sitting there, watching the animal nightlife around you. And then suddenly you’d get a call over the radio and you’d be firing up the tanks and pounding off somewhere. It was absolutely wonderful.”

Michael now lives in our High Wycombe Home. He enjoys spending time with other residents. He said: “I love the quizzes and the other things we do in the daily coffee mornings, like the newspaper crossword. I think the Wellbeing team are amazing, they work so hard to get people interested and involved. They find out what they like, and it really is person-centred care. They are very considerate people.”

Janet was born near Stratford-upon-Avon, just over four years after WWI ended. In 1942, at the age of 19, she joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service. She served there for the remainder of the war.

While based at HMS Glendower, Janet met Dennis, who also served in the Navy. The couple married in 1944, demobbing the following year. After this, the pair started their life and family together. She and Dennis had a son and daughter together. Janet would go on to join the Women’s Volunteer Service, and would help run cafes at local hospitals in the Solihull area.

Janet moved into Solihull in November 2023. Describing the Home, Janet's daughter Gill said: “I think it’s lovely, I find it very difficult to fault it. The carers are lovely, the staff are lovely, it has a lovely atmosphere. There’s plenty going on, the rooms are nice, the food is good – I'd like to move in there myself!”