“I HOPE WE CAN START SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR OUR TROOPS HERE IN MAJORCA”

PALMA
FORMER Irish Guards Lance Corporal, Stan Bowles, the man who has mobilised the British community in Majorca to help give 21-year-old Afghanistan veteran “Marine G.” a holiday to help him get over losing a foot when he stood on a mine while on patrol in February, told the Bulletin yesterday that he hopes this is the start of something special for wounded British troops here in Majorca.

Bowles, who has made his Sineu property available to Marine G via the Help For Heroes charity and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court, served as a Physical Training Instructor (PTI)) in the Guards for a decade.

He was based at Chelsea Barracks when a bus carrying men of the regiment to barracks was subject to a ferocious nail bomb attack by the IRA on September 10, 1981. Twenty-three soldiers were wounded and two passers-by killed. “It was complete carnage, some of the victims had nail marks in their faces for years after,” he said yesterday. “I passed out on April 1, 1982, the day before the Falklands War broke out and the Irish Guards were not deployed but friends of mine who had joined the Welsh were - two of them went down on the Sir Galahad,” he added. “The 80s were a very tense time in London because of the IRA. “Especially on Guard duty at Buckingham Palace.” Being a PTI, Bowles knows what Marine G. and the hundreds of other troops injured in Afghanistan are going through. “I was responsible for maintaining the fitness of 800 Guards. We didn't know anything about nutrition and all that back then. It was a good English breakfast and get training. But we would also be responsible for helping rehabilitate soldiers injured in Falklands. “One of my assistants, Jock, had returned from the Falklands with one leg. He was a tough Scotsman and ended up working with me in the gym.” “There were prosthetics but they were pretty basic,” he added. Being English, Bowles completed tours of N. Ireland. “Obviously, the Irish members of the regiment could not go because there was a good chance they'd get recognised. Even we had to re-badge. I guess I was lucky being a PTI Lance Corporal. I did the usual tours and exercises, Belize, Canada, Denmark, alpine training but did not see any action. “That said, I'd join up again today,” he admitted.

To contact Bowles, email the Bulletin.