The Online Virtual Memorial Wall

Dedicated to Veterans and 999 employees who have succumbed to PTSD and suicide

In war, those killed in action are rightly remembered. Their names are forever etched into the wall at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA)in Staffordshire. We proudly take part in annual parades to remember them and acknowledge the sacrifice they made.

But an uncomfortable truth has made its way into the public consciousness. That being, that those who subsequently take their own lives because of what they experience in war and life, far outstrips those who are killed in action.

255 personnel were killed in action in the Falklands conflict of 1982. However, it is now believed that over 260 have since taken their own lives since returning.

454 UK personnel lost their lives in the Afghanistan conflict, but it is widely reported that over 2000 serving and veterans have taken their own lives since 2001. This figure is also believed to be massively underestimated.

Serving police officers 2011-19…169 suicides
Serving Ambulance staff 2011-15….20 suicides
Serving Firefighters 2011-18…51 suicides

This does not take into account all retired emergency service employees

PTSD, depression, anxiety and survivor guilt (plus others mental health related issues) are issues that many service men and women must deal with when returning from war. But they do not have a monopoly on this. Emergency service personnel must also deal with extreme trauma, much of it accumulated over long careers, resulting in serious mental health problems and sometimes suicide.

These numbers are alarming. Hundreds, if not thousands of veterans and emergency service personnel are taking their lives because of the trauma they have experienced.

The sad truth is that these veterans, serving military personnel and emergency service personnel have no designated memorial onto which their names can be inscribed... Until now.

The Online Virtual Memorial Wall (VMW) seeks to remedy this. Families and friends can submit details, photographs and comments of those that have left us so they will have a place to be remembered and rightly honoured. This virtual memorial is linked to the physical PTSD and suicide memorial situated at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

To add your loved one to the Online Virtual Memorial Wall, simply click to go to the Submit form and add the details of the person you have lost.

Additionally, should you visit the physical memorial at the NMA, you can scan the QR code situated at the entrance to the memorial which will take you to the submissions page where you can in put your loved one’s details.

We hope you add your loved one to this wall. A place you can visit anytime and from anywhere in the world, to see their name justly remembered.

Regards

The VMW team