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How far should duty of care extend? How far does it extend?

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  • How far should duty of care extend? How far does it extend?

    Now a number of months ago, about 2 miles from my house there was a man found “living in the trees”. The people who found him (and moved him on) said that he must have been there for about a year. He’d constructed a half decent shelter for himself and had living utensils and all sorts of little creature comforts in it. People who lived nearby had said he had been seen wandering around at night now and then but nobody knew where he was coming from.

    Recently my house awoke to our dog barking viciously for all he was worth. My brother who was, in rather dubious terms, “sorta awake sleeping on [his] bed… [he] could hear and see stuff but couldn’t really move”, said he heard a thump on the wall of someone trying to climb it and then another thump as they dropped into the back garden. So he lay there listening as the dog nearly laid an egg but didn’t move.

    To fill you in on the geography, our house is beside a field that often has animals grazing in it. The boundary wall between us and the field is just short of 5 foot on our side, but easily 6 foot on the other side. As a result, there’s a fairly distinctive thump sound made if someone is trying to climb the wall. As we often go in and out of the field to look after the animals, we’re all trained to the exact sound of someone climbing the wall and then dropping into the back garden. So there’s no doubt as to the fact that someone was definitely entering the garden from the field.

    So today my brother and neighbour were moving saddles and while they were packing them into the car an odd looking man approached them. Nothing specifically unusual, just something that didn’t fit properly. This man randomly starts talking to them about his life. He’s roughly 55-60 and as he talked all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. He’s a Yorkshire native and ex British Army. He was saying that he likes walking in those fields. There’s always issues with ramblers cutting the fences (legitimate fences btw!!!! Not blocking any rights of way) so my neighbour’s ears pricked up.

    He claims that he never really got out of his army habits and so he now “goes on manoeuvers” at night pretty much every night and then goes on stand to at dawn. He also mentioned one particular night recently when he got into trouble whilst out on “manoeuvers”. He said he entered a field and was securing it when he found himself trapped at the end with no way out other than to go back the route he had come. He had no option but to climb a wall and see where it led him but it created a kerfuffle when he was attacked and had to withdraw rapidly as nobody was there to cover him. He added in more detail than I care to add for obvious parsec reasons but there’s no doubt it was my house.

    Now I have to say, this guy has obviously seen some action and has come out quite messed up. He can’t function in society and can’t even live indoors. From the sound of where he was found living a while back he probably is ex BA because he seems well able to look after himself quite nicely on the ground.

    How far does duty of care extend??? The British Army did this to him. Do they not have an obligation to ensure that people leaving the service are actually capeable of functioning in civvie street? Should they not have a duty of care to ex soldiers who are found to be blatantly messed up as a result of their service? God knows what that man has seen…
    Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
    Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
    Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
    Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

  • #2
    There is a serious lacking when it comes to the BA's care for its former soldiers. This is being highlighted only recently. The house of parliment is proposing a range of measures to look after its troops.


    Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

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    • #3
      Sounds like a classic case of PTSD. maybe some contact with the British legion might help this guy out.

      On the other side if he suffering from PTSD maybe he requires some help from medical services here and the relevant health authourites should provide some help.

      Our own streets are wlked by many who had no where to turn to after their service but thankfully the ONET is adressing this situation.

      Sometimes all these people want is a friendly ear who understands.
      Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by johnny no stars View Post
        My brother who was, in rather dubious terms, “sorta awake sleeping on [his] bed… [he] could hear and see stuff but couldn’t really move”, …

        That's called sleep paralysis. It's happened to me a few times and it's scary.

        Last edited by Groundhog; 22 May 2008, 00:10.
        sigpic
        Say NO to violence against Women

        Originally posted by hedgehog
        My favourite moment was when the
        Originally posted by hedgehog
        red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

        Comment


        • #5
          GH, I'd think it's more along the lines of "I've just spent 7 hours in the local and I'm too drunk to even fall asleep properly" hehe
          Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
          Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
          Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
          Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

          Comment


          • #6
            Sleep Paralysis is believed to be responsible for many cases of "poltergeist".


            Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

            Comment


            • #7
              Smoking that funny weed again.. Too many I am a veteran movies

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by hptmurphy View Post
                Sounds like a classic case of PTSD. maybe some contact with the British legion might help this guy out..
                If I' m not mistaken, the Bristish Legion in Dublin closed down a few years ago. Shortly after the
                documentary "All The Queen's Mean" aired on RTE ?

                As regards this guy, sounds like he needs some kind of psychological help
                "Well, stone me! We've had cocaine, bribery and Arsenal scoring two goals at home. But just when you thought there were truly no surprises left in football, Vinnie Jones turns out to be an international player!" (Jimmy Greaves)!"

                Comment


                • #9
                  Something fishy about al this.

                  Trained soldier finds it hard to fit into civvi life............nothing new there.
                  This civvi misfit then goes out to live the way the army taught him..............what ever happened to comradery and team work? Does the BA teach all its soldiers to be loaners?
                  This guy goes up to total strangers and tells all..............Are trained soldiers, in all armys, not taught to keep their mouth shut.
                  IMHO Either this guy is a wacko soldier wan-a-be or the whole story is an invention!!!
                  Last edited by luchi; 22 May 2008, 09:13.
                  Without supplies no army is brave.

                  —Frederick the Great,

                  Instructions to his Generals, 1747

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    what ever happened to comradery and team work? Does the BA teach all its soldiers to be loaners?
                    Problem is this team work and camraderie often does not extend beyond the walls of Army life.

                    The concept was punched home to me ,after leaving the naval service, very rapidly.

                    Things often discussed and held dear within services often mean absolutely nothing in civvie street and if a person has spent a portion of his formative years living the service life intensley they often find it hard to adapt.

                    This guy goes up to total strangers and tells all..............Are trained soldiers, in all armys, not taught to keep their mouth shut
                    The man just wanted company I reckon and when he got someone to listen... he let it all out.

                    Whatever it is ...its very sad.
                    Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Cheers for the info on sleep paralysis. I have experienced it a number of times and always wondered what caused it. It very freaky.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Truck Driver View Post
                        If I' m not mistaken, the Bristish Legion in Dublin closed down a few years ago. Shortly after the
                        documentary "All The Queen's Mean" aired on RTE ?

                        As regards this guy, sounds like he needs some kind of psychological help
                        They still have an office which is open on South Frederick Street in Dublin. Its just off Nasseau Street, the next street to the right after Reads Book/Stationary Store. They are definitely still in there, was in the building a few weeks ago.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          There was an old hermit living in the area of Clonea Power in Co Waterford in the townland of Lackendarra. He was known as Lackendarra Bill/Tom (can't remember). Apparently he was a war veteran, WWI British Army, who lived in his own dugout. Groundhog will help out here as he knows a bit more about it than I do. And by the way anyone of a certain age will remember men that we knew as Tramps who walked the roads of Ireland and lived outdoors. You don't see them anymore as that generation is now gone but a lot of them were war veterans and there were reasons why they couldn't reintegrate and didn't like the indoors.
                          The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity.
                          (George Bernard Shaw, Playwright, 1856 - 1950)

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                          • #14
                            My Grandmother had an Uncle' Fred ' who lost an arm in WW1 and was walking to Dublin to see the papal nuncio in 1932 and died on the road

                            Another relative served at the somme and was shellshocked all his life, he became the park keeper in Waterford years later and was known to lose the plot as such with a few pints conducting one man bayonet charges and shouting how he had fought for the freedom of small nations.

                            These type of people were quiet common in my childhood( hmmm!!!) and it was only years later when I learned of PTSD I realised how war had damaged them and they had lost so much during the battles they fought.

                            They were not seen as bemadaled heroes because the politics of this country refused to allow them to be recognised.

                            Up to recently these men were denounced as traitors.( typical twisted Irish logic).but we know owe it to them and those like them to extend a duty of care,

                            The guy outlined may seem a bit 'nutty' but he deserves the benefit of the doubt and our silent symapthy if nothing else.
                            Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Old soldier

                              Jasus Murp tis some story,, would ya go look for him,, i know it might seem mad gone looking for a oldtimer who does his own tactics at night but the poor chap is hurting bad,, Are the cops onto him or what????

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