• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Excelitas Qioptiq banner

BATTLESPACE Updates

   +44 (0)77689 54766
   

  • Home
  • Features
  • News Updates
  • Company Directory
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media Pack 2022

VETERANS UPDATE

May 15, 2020 by

Sponsored by Exforplus

https://www.exforplus.org/

————————————————————————-

07 May 20. Coronavirus: Nine Chelsea Pensioners die with Covid-19, hospital says. Nine Chelsea Pensioners have died after contracting coronavirus, the Royal Hospital Chelsea has confirmed. The home for military veterans, which has been in existence for more than 300 years, said a further 58 residents had so far recovered after testing positive or showing symptoms. Some 290 army veterans live at the Royal Hospital, famous for its red tunic uniform. The deaths were announced a day before the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

Of the hospital’s residents, 47 served in World War Two, while others were deployed in Korea, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus and Northern Ireland.

Among those who died was 75-year-old Fred Boomer-Hawkins.

He moved to the Royal London Chelsea Hospital in 2017 and was “extremely proud” to wear the retirement home’s famous uniform, his son Terry Hawkins, 49, said.

“He was a very popular man, loving, generous, honourable and loyal,” Mr Hawkins told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“He was everything you could want from a dad.

“We can only have ten people at the funeral but know more than 300 would want to be there if they could. The outpouring of love for him since his death was announced has been overwhelming.”

‘I fear the worst’

Mr Boomer-Hawkins, a father-of-three, was originally from Tottenham and joined the army aged 17.

A keen boxer, he won tournaments including the Regimental Boxing Finals, and later went on to coach.

His first posting in the army was as a Royal Green Jacket in Colchester, where he met first wife, Jean.

He was later stationed in Malaysia, Germany and Tidworth, completed two tours of Northern Ireland, was a UN peacekeeper in Cyprus and spent two years in Berlin.

He first became ill in the last week of March.

As his breathing worsened and he was moved to hospital in the days before his death, he sent his son a text reading: “Prepare yourself, I fear the worst now.”

Mr Hawkins added: “We were able to go in on that final day and the doctors told us he only had between two and eight hours left. We never thought it would come to that, it was heartbreaking.

“It just shows this virus can take anyone.” (Source: BBC)

————————————————————————-

ExFor+ CIC is a relatively new organisation but has been established with the objective of becoming a National overarching organisation within the Veterans Support Sector. Our aim is to bring about, positive Social and Economic change for the country as well as a significant

transformation of how Service leavers, Veterans, their families and communities are supported. We will do this through effective collaboration, communication and management of a number of services and departments, ranging from engaging with Government, The Third sector and also the supporters of, those who’ve served and often sacrificed so much for their country. We are currently supporting a number of service leavers and veterans with a range of issues ranging from housing, unemployment, benefits, personal development, education, and are constantly looking for employers who see the positives in recruiting and supporting individuals in to work to create longterm and sustainable futures.

www.InvestorsInVeterans.com

 

————————————————————————

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • qioptiq.com
  • Exensor
  • TCI
  • Visit the Oxley website
  • Visit the Viasat website
  • Blighter
  • SPECTRA
  • InVeris
  • Britbots logo
  • Faun Trackway
  • Systematic
  • CISION logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • businesswire logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • ssafa logo
  • DSEi
  • Atkins
  • IEE
  • EXFOR logo
  • KME logo
  • sibylline logo
Hilux DVD2022 GlobalMilSat

Contact Us

BATTLESPACE Publications
Old Charlock
Abthorpe Road
Silverstone
Towcester NN12 8TW

+44 (0)77689 54766

BATTLESPACE Technologies

An international defence electronics news service providing our readers with up to date developments in the defence electronics industry.

Recent News

  • EXHIBITIONS AND CONFERENCES

    August 5, 2022
    Read more
  • MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE

    August 5, 2022
    Read more
  • CONTRACT NEWS IN BRIEF

    August 5, 2022
    Read more

Copyright BATTLESPACE Publications © 2002–2022.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you continue to use the website, we'll assume you're ok with this.   Read More  Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT