STAMFORD PEOPLE Daniel Twiddy (right) with his parents Roger and Liz and seven-year-old daughter Milly
Daniel, a former pupil of Bluecoat Primary and Queen Eleanor Schools in Stamford, was one of 10 finalists out of 100,000 entrants in the prestigious Barclays Trading Places awards.
Daniel Twiddy Few people have had to rebuild their life like Daniel Twiddy. In March 2003, while serving with the British Army, he suffered life-threatening injuries in an attack on his tank. Despite enduring 45 operations since then he has built a successful plastering business and was recently nominated for a national tradesman award. Nick Rennie went to meet Daniel to find out more about his inspiring story.
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ANIEL Twiddy’s memories of his darkest day remain crystal clear. He had been on patrol in a tank during the early stages of the Iraq war and all appeared to be quiet. “It was about 1 in the morning and I was asleep on top of the tank,” recalled Daniel. “There was suddenly a round of incoming fire which missed the tank and blew me on to the ground. Two more rounds then came in and hit the tank. I was set on fire and shrapnel went through my face.” Sadly, two of Daniel’s colleagues who were still in the tank were killed in the incident. Army medics tended to Daniel’s horrific wounds as he drifted in and out of consciousness. “If I had been in the tank I wouldn’t be here now,” he said. “I was still in a very bad way and the medics in the field hospital saved my life when I was transferred there.” It soon transpired that the attack on Daniel’s Challenger II tank had come mistakenly from another British tank in a tragic incident of friendly fire. His Queen’s Royal Lancers regiment had been securing bridges on the outskirts of the key city of Basra at the time. Daniel has endured years of legal battles with the Ministry of Defence in an attempt to win compensation for his injuries. But he hasn’t been compensated and hasn’t even received an apology. Daniel’s face still bears the scars of his injuries. Recent surgery on his face was the 45th operation following the attack. He’s had dental problems and developed conditions such
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as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. He has to pay for treatment for these ailments out of his own pocket and his neverending series of operations are carried out in NHS hospitals. Daniel (36) clearly dotes on his family, wife Amy and children Milly (7) and five-year-old Jessie. Parents Roger and Liz, brother Simon and sister Sarah have also been hugely supportive. “The way I have dealt with everything is down to my mum and dad and my wife,” he said. “My parents are still together and they inspire me to get on with my life.” After leaving the Army, Daniel trained as a plasterer and now runs his own business. He has work lined up three months in advance and has worked on some of the most well-known buildings in Stamford, such as Burghley House, The George Hotel and Stamford Endowed Schools. He was this year nominated for the award of Britain’s Top Tradesman, winning the eastern regional event but narrowly failing to make the national finals. Daniel, a former pupil of Bluecoat Primary and Queen Eleanor Schools in Stamford, was also one of 10 finalists out of 100,000 entrants in the prestigious Barclays Trading Places awards. “I work very hard, starting at 8.30 every day and working through to 9.30pm and everything I’ve had since what happened in Iraq I’ve paid
Daniel Twiddy pictured during his Army days on a tank and on patrol
for myself,” he said. “I don’t do a lot of work on building sites because I’m a people person and I like to build a close working relationship with a client.” Mum Liz (64) is a trained nurse and she saw at first-hand what her son went through with his injuries, staying in the hospital with him for weeks when he was flown home and then constantly redressing his wounds after he was allowed home. “When it happened it was absolutely horrendous,” she said. “We didn’t recognise him when we first saw him. In fact, we argued with the doctors that it wasn’t him. But he should be so proud of what he has achieved since.” Since sustaining his war service injuries, Daniel has joined Royal British Legion volunteers in selling Poppies every year. He joins the Stamford Remembrance Day parade every November and on the anniversary of the Iraq incident he lays a wreath every year at the town’s war memorial. But Daniel’s experiences have permanently tarnished his attitude towards those who run the military. “All I ever wanted to do when I was growing up was to join the Army and serve my country,” he added. “But, now, if someone asks me if I would like my son to join up when he is old enough I say ‘no’.” • To talk to Daniel about plastering work, email him at dantwiddyplastering@hotmail. co.uk go to his Facebook page at www. facebook.com/dantwiddyplastering or call him on 01780 592052 or 07985 668398.