Denzil Connick
Encyclopedia
Denzil Connick is the co-founder (along with Rick Jolly
) and secretary of the South Atlantic Medal Association formed in 1997. He served with 3 PARA during the 1982 Falklands War
and lost a leg during the Battle of Mount Longdon
.
Lance Corporal
Connick was 25 when he boarded SS Canberra
at Southampton
to set sail for the Falkland Islands
. Prior to sailing, Denzil admits to not knowing where the islands were.
He was a radio operator with the fire support
team and was wounded on June 12 by a Mortar shell that killed Craftsman Alex Shaw of (9 Sqdn REME
) and Private Craig Jones. Denzil had his left leg blown-off and his right leg badly mutilated. He was stretchered back to the Regimental Aid Post
(RAP) before flown to a field hospital
and then taken aboard the Hospital Ship
SS Uganda where he stayed for four weeks. Once back in Britain he spent another six months in hospital.
Denzil, campaigns for better treatment of Falkland Veterans and is particularly concerned with the high incidence of Suicides since the Conflict. Denzil blames the high suicide rate on the "stiff-upper-lip brigade" and a lack of resources to tackle post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD).
"Nobody knows the official figures for suicides – that is one of the problems. But we know we have lost an average of 10 veterans per year since the conflict ended. That makes 260 veterans who have committed suicide and that is bound to be a conservative estimate. I am almost certain there will be dozens more we do not know about and the figure is likely to be more than 255". Mr Connick added that research into Vietnam veterans and former Israeli servicemen had revealed similar patterns.
Mr Connick, himself a PTSD sufferer, said "What the Government has to do is make more funds available to support organisations such as Combat Stress, which works with ex-servicemen suffering psychiatric illnesses."
Rick Jolly
Surgeon-Captain Richard Jolly OBE is a former Royal Navy medical officer who served in the 1982 Falklands War. He still practices and gives lectures to medical establishments on his experiences....
) and secretary of the South Atlantic Medal Association formed in 1997. He served with 3 PARA during the 1982 Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
and lost a leg during the Battle of Mount Longdon
Battle of Mount Longdon
The Battle of Mount Longdon was an engagement of the Falklands War between British and Argentine forces, which took place on 11–12 June 1982, resulting in the British victory and their occupation of a key position around the besieged Argentine garrison....
.
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
Connick was 25 when he boarded SS Canberra
SS Canberra
SS Canberra was an ocean liner, which later operated on cruises, in the P&O fleet from 1961 to 1997. She was built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland at a cost of £17,000,000. The ship was named on 17 March 1958, after the federal capital of Australia, Canberra...
at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
to set sail for the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
. Prior to sailing, Denzil admits to not knowing where the islands were.
He was a radio operator with the fire support
Fire support
Fire support is long-range firepower provided to a front-line military unit. Typically, fire support is provided by artillery or close air support , and is used to shape the battlefield or, more optimistically, define the battle...
team and was wounded on June 12 by a Mortar shell that killed Craftsman Alex Shaw of (9 Sqdn REME
Reme
Reme may refer to:*Rəmə, Azerbaijan*Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers...
) and Private Craig Jones. Denzil had his left leg blown-off and his right leg badly mutilated. He was stretchered back to the Regimental Aid Post
Regimental Aid Post
A Regimental Aid Post is the equivalent to the American Battalion Aid Station. In the British Army, Canadian Forces and other Commonwealth militaries, the RAP is a front line military medical establishment incorporated into an infantry battalion or armoured regiment and designed for the immediate...
(RAP) before flown to a field hospital
Field hospital
A field hospital is a large mobile medical unit that temporarily takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent hospital facilities...
and then taken aboard the Hospital Ship
Hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital; most are operated by the military forces of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones....
SS Uganda where he stayed for four weeks. Once back in Britain he spent another six months in hospital.
Denzil, campaigns for better treatment of Falkland Veterans and is particularly concerned with the high incidence of Suicides since the Conflict. Denzil blames the high suicide rate on the "stiff-upper-lip brigade" and a lack of resources to tackle post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Posttraumaticstress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity,...
(PTSD).
"Nobody knows the official figures for suicides – that is one of the problems. But we know we have lost an average of 10 veterans per year since the conflict ended. That makes 260 veterans who have committed suicide and that is bound to be a conservative estimate. I am almost certain there will be dozens more we do not know about and the figure is likely to be more than 255". Mr Connick added that research into Vietnam veterans and former Israeli servicemen had revealed similar patterns.
Mr Connick, himself a PTSD sufferer, said "What the Government has to do is make more funds available to support organisations such as Combat Stress, which works with ex-servicemen suffering psychiatric illnesses."