A former soldier who served two tours in Afghanistan left his military medals with a friend before ending his life in August, having condemned the housing system that he believed had abandoned him.
Rob Homans, 35, attended his brother’s wedding where he entrusted his decorations to someone for safekeeping, saying they didn’t fit properly on his suit. Over the following days, the ex-Royal Horse Artillery bombardier contacted old army colleagues and friends, arranging future meetings and putting his affairs in order.
His mother Dawn Turner, 56, has since established a campaign called Rob’s Army to pursue justice for veterans and address systemic failures. Speaking through tears, she declared she’s not going to stop and is going to get justice for him and prevent this from happening again.
Childhood Dream Turned to Nightmare
Mr Homans had pursued his childhood ambition by enlisting in the military, rejecting opportunities with Birmingham City football scouts to join the armed forces. He spent 10 years in the Royal Horse Artillery and was promoted to bombardier, excelling at sports during his service.
He deployed to Afghanistan aged 19, returning for a second tour at 21. His mother believes the experiences during service damaged his mental wellbeing. When he came back, he was broken, she told the Daily Mail.
Following his discharge in 2015, Mr Homans initially secured employment and married, but subsequently faced deteriorating physical and mental health. He experienced digestive problems, persistent headaches and hearing loss in one ear attributed to weapons fire.
Told He Wasn’t a Priority
After his marriage ended, he lost both his residence and employment, returning to live with his mother in Eckington. Despite the Armed Forces Covenant supposedly guaranteeing veterans housing priority, Worcester City Council allegedly told him he’s not a priority, according to Ms Turner.
The council offered accommodation only in a house of multiple occupation located in an area known for drug activity, far from his support network. Mr Homans had maintained sobriety from cocaine for eight months and declined the placement, leading housing officials to close his application for non-engagement.
All we kept hearing is you are not a priority, Ms Turner said. When he divorced and he ended up back in Worcester, he was told there was a six-month waiting list for mental health support. He had also been trying to get housing but was told, you’re a single male, and there was a two-year waiting list.
Devastating Final Words
Ms Turner recounted discovering her son weeping outside the housing office. He had pointed to two homeless veterans sleeping in a doorway whilst observing a nearby hotel accommodating refugees. I fought for this country and it means nothing, he had told her.
His initial suicide attempt occurred in 2019 after a veterans’ charity informed them of a six-month waiting list for mental health services. Further attempts followed in 2023 and 2024, with police declining to section him despite family pleas.
Robert got to the end of his tether because he’d been to housing, he’d been to the DWP, he’d been to mental health services and there was always a barrier, always a hurdle to jump, it was either a long waiting list or you are not entitled or you’re not a priority, that’s what we kept hearing, you’re not a priority, Ms Turner said.
Failed Even in Death
Ms Turner revealed that no Ministry of Defence representatives contacted the family following her son’s death. The family suspects Mr Homans may have sustained traumatic brain injury during military service, but post-mortem examination proved impossible due to tissue deterioration after the local morgue’s bank holiday closure.
In his one ear he went completely deaf, all the bangs, all the work on the guns in Afghanistan, that really affected his health, Ms Turner said. He used to get terrible headaches, it wasn’t mental at the time, it was physical; he would say, make it stop.
Repeated exposure to blast overpressure from heavy weapons or explosives can overwhelm the brain’s ability to heal itself and lead to a complex constellation of life-changing neurological symptoms. There is a well-researched connection between brain injury and a higher risk of suicide.
Mother’s Campaign for Change
Rob’s Army seeks to establish accountability for veterans’ treatment and implement lasting reforms. Ms Turner advocates for an independent Office for Veterans’ Affairs, protected from political changes, and criticises current charity coordination as herding cats.
The Armed Forces Covenant isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. Rob was told he wasn’t a priority despite all these promises that veterans would get help, she said. The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
In her heart of hearts, Ms Turner thinks it was suicide. He’d contacted all his friends, all his squaddie friends, all his school friends, even contacted his ex-wife, arranging to meet up, putting things in place, saying things like: if anything happens to me, look after my mum.
Stepway Charity Success
In 2019, following Robert’s first suicide attempt, Ms Turner set up a charity called Stepway to help veterans with housing, family and mental health problems. Under her leadership, the charity was a success, attracting solid funding and running veteran hubs across the Midlands.
She had arranged a referral to Combat Stress, a charity treating post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans. There was a six-month wait for an appointment. She tried Operation Courage, the NHS mental health scheme for veterans. Again, a lengthy wait.
The system, she believes, needs fundamental change. In theory, the Armed Forces Covenant assures veterans of priority access to government services, but the reality, Ms Turner says, is different.
Government Response
Worcester City Council expressed condolences but declined to address housing concerns directly. The Ministry of Defence highlighted £25 million invested in Operation Courage mental health services for veterans.
An MoD spokesperson said their deepest condolences go out to Robert’s loved ones, and their thoughts and sympathies are with them. While we cannot comment on individual cases, we want to ensure that no veteran falls through the cracks.
The government has invested more than £25 million into Op COURAGE so that veterans in England can continue to access specialist NHS mental health and wellbeing services, the spokesperson added. The ministry also pointed to £3.5 million for veteran homelessness initiatives, including the new £50 million Valour programme.
Growing Crisis
The case highlights persistent problems facing Britain’s military veterans. Recent data found that 73 per cent of veterans polled felt the US withdrawal from Afghanistan negatively impacted the way they view America’s legacy in the Global War on Terror.
Among veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan, 15 per cent experience post-traumatic stress symptoms in any given year, and about a third are estimated to face PTS at some point in their lifetime. Due to its prevalence, PTS is now known as the signature wound of the Global War on Terror.
The first two years after leaving active duty remain a high-risk period. Veterans early in their transition often face isolation, unemployment, housing instability, and confusion navigating care. Research highlights that the most effective point of intervention is during these first two years, when veterans are actively transitioning.
Mother’s Pledge
Ms Turner has pledged to fight for answers and systemic change. He may not have died over in Afghanistan, but he died for his country, the country that failed him and so many others, and it needs to stop, and it needs to stop now, she told ITV News.
The community, society needs to stand, make a stand, all stand together, and actually look at the proper villain. And that’s the government.
The Armed Forces Covenant states that those who serve in the armed forces, whether regular or reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.
Yet Ms Turner’s experience suggests a vast gap between the covenant’s promises and the reality facing struggling veterans. Her campaign seeks to close that gap and ensure no other family endures what hers has suffered.
Robert Homans was found dead at a house in Worcester in August 2025. He was 35 years old and had completed two tours of Afghanistan during his 10-year career in the Army.
If you are experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Samaritans can be contacted free on 116 123, 24 hours a day, or email jo@samaritans.org.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
