Scots Falklands War survivor's struggle after brother killed in hit and run
dailyrecord.co.ukA Scots veteran has said how his brother's death in a hit-and-run made him realise he suffers with survivor's guilt after fighting in the Falklands War four decades ago.
Norman McDade, who prefers to go by the name Mac, joined the Royal Navy aged 17 in 1978 and trained as a chef. Four years later, in April 1982, the now 60-year-old spent 121 days at sea aboard the HMS Plymouth fighting in the South Atlantic conflict.
Despite the ship being hit and bombed multiple times, all the crew miraculously survived the 74-day long battle. But four years after the war, Mac's older brother Robert, a musician, was killed on the streets of Glasgow in a hit-and-run aged 25. "We were really close," Mac said, who lives in Erskine and has another older brother called Jim."I couldn't accept the fact that my brother died just going about his business."He was in a band, and they were unloading some equipment and this guy under the influence came round the corner and lost of control of the vehicle and Robert was crushed against the back of the van."How could I go through what I went through, getting bombed and shot at, and yet he died."Mac said when he was between jobs after the war he suffered with a bad back and, often sat at home, fell into a deep depression.It was at this point he went to see a doctor for help."We sat and talked, and then one day the doctor said to me, 'Do you not think you have survivor's guilt with what your brother went through?'"And it all clicked."So, years later, after going through therapy sessions, I found out I was suffering with survivor's guilt, and it was Robert's death that made me see that."My brother and I were very close, so it was a tough time."Despite the horrors of the Falklands War, Mac said he escaped
Read more on dailyrecord.co.uk
