From Essex to Kyiv: The former para who went to Ukraine for his birthday
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A little over a fortnight ago, the former paratrooper Don Rawlings was at home in Essex wondering how to mark his 60th birthday
A little over a fortnight ago, Don Rawlings was at home in Essex wondering how to mark his 60th birthday. The former soldier, who served with 3 Para in the Falklands War, decided he needed to see history once more unfold in real-time. So he went to Ukraine.
"I'm not some wide-eyed, tourist who got himself in a situation he can't get himself out of," Don Rawlings says from his current base in Kyiv. "I came in knowing what to expect.
"And I'm going to extract myself. I'm not going to be a burden on the British government.
"I'm sure they've got enough on their plate to worry about me."
Mr Rawlings, who lives in Burnham on Crouch, flew into Ukraine on 19 February.
His plan was to visit for a week and, he says, "to be part of history".
"I didn't want to read about it in the newspapers," he says. "I wanted to be part of it, and to see for myself.
"So I came to Ukraine."
But five days after his arrival, while visiting Kharkiv just a few miles from the Russian border, Russia invaded.
The lone guest at his hotel, Mr Rawlings was unable to leave the city because travel services were stopped.
He watched as the Ukrainians organised their defences before "this barrage came in" which shook the ground around him.
Five days ago, Mr Rawlings managed to get back to Kyiv.
Despite his military background, Mr Rawlings is adamant he did not come to Ukraine to fight
Despite his military background, Mr Rawlings is adamant he did not come to Ukraine to fight.
Although tempted by the idea of joining a militia, he says, the "language barrier is a massive problem".
Contrary to what some might believe, he says, the militia in Ukraine is highly organised and not for people without military experience.
"It's not the wild west, it's an organised army," he says.
"There is no place for 'Gung ho' Englishmen coming out here with no military training. [There's] no place for them."
Men from Ukraine's territorial defence units dig trenches deep in a forest outside Kyiv
Although Mr Rawlings came to Ukraine for, as he puts it, "adventure", something else seems to be happening to him.
"I love these people," he says.
"I love the architecture. I love the history, I've warmed to the place more than I could imagine.
"It seems as though I've been there forever."
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"This is me laying some ghosts to rest," he says.
"It's been quite a rough ride from the '80s to here.
"There's been some highlights and there's been some lows.
"More lows than highlights unfortunately - that's just the way it panned out."
Back in Essex, Mr Rawlings has a boat called Skullduggery.
He takes other former service personnel struggling with PTSD out sailing as a form of therapy.
Seeing children put on trains at the railway station in Kyiv earlier this week reduced Mr Rawlings to tears.
"I'm here as an allegiance to them," he says. "They have no idea. But I know that I'm here as allegiance to them.
"Sadness, yes. Sadness in what I saw at the train station, immense sadness and upset.
"But anxiety? No. I've been I've been calm in the face of adversity.
"There are bombardments going on around that I pay no attention to."
In Kyiv he has found himself spending hours helping elderly women with their luggage up and down the steps of the train station.
He is now hoping to get involved in the larger humanitarian effort at Lviv in western Ukraine as thousands try to flee the country.
Each day he goes to the railway station hoping to get a train to Lviv.
However, at present, women and children are being given priority, which means he does not yet know when he will be leaving Kyiv.
A spokesman for the FCDO says :"The safety of British nationals in Ukraine is a top priority.
"Specially trained UK crisis response teams have been sent to countries neighbouring Ukraine to support our consular operations.
"We advise British nationals to leave Ukraine immediately if they judge it is safe to do so.
"Our travel advice continues to be updated with the latest guidance, and those requiring assistance should call +380 44 490 3660 or +44 (0)1908 516666."
With additional reporting by Chris Bell.
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