An Interview with Duncan Slater
Sliding his arms into the red jacket, Duncan’s face beamed as if it was made for him. A jacket for battle; a battle against all elements. With an explorer’s mind and interest in nature, he walked along the beach like it was home.
He belongs in the wilderness.
For Duncan, his love of the outdoors started at the early age of 15 when he was a game keeper on a deer estate in Scotland. “I just love being outside, I don’t like being inside at all. Even when it’s chucking it down, I am quite happy,” Duncan says.
Duncan Slater, 38, is an ex-platoon sergeant of the RAF, responsible for about 30 soldiers. On July 31st 2009, this all changed. While on operation in Afghanistan in an area called Babajii, Duncan and some soldiers were patrolling in vehicles down a road where there were lots of unexploded roadside bombs. Unfortunately, for Duncan and his team who were the last vehicle out of the 13 vehicles driving down the road, his blew up. The explosion was right underneath where Duncan was seated, making Duncan fly out of the vehicle landing about 30 feet away in a compound. “The vehicle was destroyed, but the driver was absolutely fine. The young lad on the turret perforated his ear drum but was fine other than that, but unfortunately for me I was a bit broken and battered,” He said.
The biggest challenge for Duncan to this day has been learning to walk again. “It has probably been the hardest thing to endure. You probably take it for granted and don’t think about it. When you go for a double amputation and get fitted with new legs, you think no problem, but actually it was the most difficult thing to get used to,” Duncan says, his eyes glint with a flashback of pain.
The pain didn’t last forever. Walking With The Wounded approached Duncan at an awards event after him and his friend undertook a charity cycle. The charity wanted him to take part in a South Pole expedition and from there on, WWTW became a massive part of his life. With the charity’s positivity and support, he was on the road to normality again. “I got out of the military and was pretty clueless what I was going do employment wise. But WWTW scoop you up and get you sorted out. Even once you have a job, they still stick by your side if you need any help or guidance,” Duncan smiles.
-- End of Part 1 --
Parts 2 and 3 coming soon.
