THE BATTLE WITHIN, a soldiers story. Foreword written by Lt General Jonathan Riley CB DSO. From his early days raised into a working class family, suffering from years of school bullying leaving him with low self-esteem and confidence issues to the day he joined the British Army and the challenging events that followed. Newly recruited into 1RWF and quickly adopted by the mortar platoon. Life couldn’t be better. Within just 12 months he took part in many training exercises in both the UK and aboard. From parachute training, covering the national firestrikes to training as a patrol medic. Plus more. Neil was even planning an attempt on the extremely tough SAS selection course. It was all a young man’s dream, but it was about to change. 2004, Deployed to Iraq with the mortar platoon and part of a police training team, Neil was the patrol team medic. 21st April will be a day never to be forgotten. 3 large suicide car bombs ripped through Basra leaving over 70 dead including many children and scores badly injured. Just a few miles away in Az Zabour. Camp Chindit that was housing members of B Coy came under attack from a further 2 bombs. 11 more were killed and many badly wounded including Neil who was only 20ft from the blast. Picked up and slammed into a ditch by the blast and left with shrapnel wounds. For many this would be traumatic enough, but for Neil this barely scratched the surface, as this was just the beginning of a series of events that would test the mental resilience of even the toughest to the limit, possibly beyond. This is the inspiring true story of a mind that cannot be broke.
