Invictus Games: Wounded warriors give salute to the power of sport

With a father who served in the Royal Air Force, David, from Tadcaster, grew up with the old fashioned idea that to serve Queen and country was a privilege. While studying at Manchester University he joined the Officer Training Corps and, after graduating, chose to join the infantry so he could command men in the field.

After completing a tour in Iraq, in the winter of 2009 he was posted to Afghanistan attached to the 2nd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment and found himself embedded with the Afghan National Army as part of the Operational Mentor and Liaison Team.

David was commanding a small British Infantry team in Helmand province in 2009 when he was shot in the chest whilst conducting a fighting patrol that came into contact with the Taliban. The round entered his shoulder and travelled the length of his torso, ricocheting on his ribs before coming to rest in his right lung; where it resides to this day.

He survived, just, but it changed his life. Having dedicated his life to the army he struggled initially to come to terms with the physical and psychological impact of coming close to death. “After I was wounded that definition of self, which is really important, became twisted and negative. I started seeing myself as an ex-soldier and a wounded soldier,” he says.

In 2012 he was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) but through the excellent treatment he received alongside his physical rehabilitation, the condition is now manageable. He has also used sport to aid his recovery getting involved with the Invictus Games which return next month.

The Paralympics-style event, supported by Prince Harry, was first hosted in London two years ago to great acclaim from competitors and spectators. Its aim is to use sport to inspire and help servicemen and women injured while serving their country to recover.

This year’s Invictus Games are being held in Orlando, Florida, with more than 500 competitors from 15 nations taking part in 10 sports. Some of those competing are multiple amputees as a result of injuries suffered in Afghanistan, while others have been dealing with the psychological effects of conditions like PTSD.

There are more than 100 British athletes taking part and it was announced last week that David would be the UK team’s captain, taking over the mantel from the previous skipper Dave Henson. The Yorkshireman’s selection comes just weeks after he received an award from the Prime Minster for leading a team of army veterans in tackling the Boxing Day flooding disaster in Tadcaster.

David has been closely involved in the games since their inception and he competed in 2014, winning two golds and two silvers, so to be made captain is a huge honour for the 33 year-old. “The reason for my pride? I think the Invictus Games is a shining example of what this community can achieve, a group of individuals from around the world coming together in order to show everyone that beyond injury, they can achieve the extraordinary.”

He firmly believes that sport can play a crucial role in healing not only physical wounds but psychological injuries, too. “I believe that sport is a fantastic catalyst for recovery and that’s the ethos behind the games,” he says.

“When someone has been injured whether it’s from twisting their ankle playing rugby, being in a car crash, or getting shot, there is a physical and psychological impact.” One that participating in sport can help lessen. “You become part of a close-knit team working for a common purpose, so physically you become stronger and psychologically you’re in a much better place.”

Those British athletes competing will be joined in Orlando by friends and family and a 50-strong support team, something David believes makes a huge difference. “I don’t know what I would have if it hadn’t been for my family so it’s fantastic that they are there too.”

In 2012, he was among a team of ex-servicemen that made a hugely ambitious, and ultimately unsuccessful, attempt to reach the top of Mount Everest. Part of the training included climbing up Manaslu, the world’s eighth highest mountain. For David this was a pivotal moment in his own recovery. “Reaching the top of that mountain was a turning point for me,” he says.

He believes that having something to aim for like this can help those competing in the games for the first time. “It might just be making the team for some, for others it will be winning a gold medal or simply doing the best they can,” he says.

“There are 110 athletes from the UK taking part in the games and it’s a chance to show themselves, their families and the rest of the world that even though they’ve been injured they can still achieve the extraordinary,” he says.

“What’s interesting with this team is that it’s 60 per cent new blood and this could be their turning point. They can use this moment to create a new definition of themselves, one that isn’t defined by their injuries. They can define themselves by what they are now, not by their past and that’s really powerful.”

As well as promoting the bonds of togetherness, it’s hoped the Invictus Games will throw a spotlight on the psychological impact of injuries – a subject that is sometimes swept under the carpet.

“Psychological injuries and mental wellbeing don’t get discussed in the way physical injuries do, it’s still a taboo. If someone breaks a leg then people will ask them about it and how they are doing, but we aren’t there yet when it comes to the psychological aspects, we don’t talk about the hidden wounds,” he says.

“My treatment and recovery both physical and psychological went hand in hand and it was fantastic,” he says. “They are both now entirely manageable and I hope by talking about my experiences it will help us have a wider discourse.”

Not that it’s easy. “Psychological recovery is tough, it’s emotionally and mentally draining. There are times you want to quit but you have to stick with it.” Which is why he’s an advocate of what’s called post-traumatic growth, based around the idea of finding positive psychological change out of adversity. “I buy into that. I’ve been through tough times and I’ve experienced post-traumatic growth. I understand my limitations and breaking points,” he says.

“I have an appreciation of life having come so close to losing it and I know how precious it is. Life is short and you need to take opportunities when they come your way because they might not come round again.”