'Army only paid me £5k for my combat hearing loss'

Ex-soldier Chris Draper is pursuing a legal case following his hearing loss

A veteran has accused the Army of not doing enough to help with the hearing loss he said developed during his service.

Chris Draper from Shropshire told the BBC he wore hearing aids as a result of permanent damage to his ears from "guns and bombs" in combat.

He voluntarily left the Army in 2010 after being told by a medical officer that he would no longer be cleared for deployment because of his condition, he said.

While the Ministry of Defence did not comment specifically on Mr Draper's case it said veterans should be able to access the support they deserved.

The 42-year-old served in several foreign tours during his 11-year service, including Iraq.

"I went for a hearing test for Afghanistan and I failed", he said.

Mr Draper was classified "P7" by a medical officer, which in the military means an individual who is "medically fit for duty with major employment limitations".

He therefore decided to leave The Irish Guards and return to civilian life.

Mr Draper, who now lives in Broseley near Telford, has since become a trained mental health coach, helping other veterans with their mental wellbeing.

But alongside that work, he is also engaged in another pursuit - a battle for compensation.

Chris joined the army aged 16 in 1999

"I have constant tinnitus, and hearing loss, and was fitted with two massive hearing aids before I turned 40", Mr Draper explained.

He said he applied for compensation within months of leaving the Army and was awarded almost £5,000.

He added he recently applied again after having his devices fitted and was given a second payment of £180 to cover the rise in inflation since his first payment in 2010.

But Mr Draper maintains those sums are not enough to compensate for hearing loss and, he says, having to wear hearing aids for the rest of his life.

As a result, he is pursing a case through a private law firm.

Between 2012 and 2020, the Ministry of Defence paid £72m in compensation for military hearing loss, settling more than 9,000 cases.

Chris Draper struggled with his mental health after leaving the army

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "We are committed to the military being a safe and supportive environment for all and we ensure that effective healthcare support is available to everyone.

"Veterans should be able to access the support they deserve and that's why individuals can gain access to specialist medical care from the NHS through Op Courage in England. Veterans can also access specialist mental health services wherever they live in the UK."