LGBT sculpture is 'emotional' for gay RAF veteran

Kevin Bazeley was a navigator in the RAF until he was dismissed in 1995 due to his sexuality

A former RAF officer who was forced to leave the military for being gay has described the unveiling of a new memorial to LGBT+ service personnel as an "emotional" and "powerful" moment.

Kevin Bazeley, from Worcester, was dismissed in 1995, when it was illegal to be gay in the forces, after being outed.

"Everything that I'd ever worked for, the only career that I'd ever wanted, was effectively just taken away from me overnight," said Mr Bazeley, who served as a navigator.

He was among veterans who attended the dedication ceremony of a new LGBT+ Armed Forces memorial unveiled by King Charles III at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The sculpture, called An Opened Letter, contains words from personal letters which were used as evidence to incriminate people.

It is dedicated to LGBT+ personnel who served under the ban, which was lifted in 2000, as well as those in the armed forces today.

"It's just a stunning piece," said Mr Bazeley, who is deputy officer for the memorial project. "It's so beautiful, especially because this monument comes from the words of the community that was impacted by the ban."

• Listen on BBC Sounds: The armed forces’ first LGBTQ+ memorial

The King lay flowers at the base of the memorial during his visit

Mr Bazeley said meeting the King was "a highlight".

"We actually talked about one of the aircraft that I flew on, the VC10, which his family flew on very often as part of the Royal Flight," he said.

He said the King's presence was an "effective apology" from the armed forces to those who "should never have been dismissed from the services".

Mr Bazeley said the armed forces today were "so inclusive and welcoming" and that younger personnel understood the struggles faced by previous generations.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson told the BBC it "deeply regrets" the treatment of those affected by the ban, adding: "What they experienced was not reflective of today's values or the inclusive culture of our armed forces."