Birmingham hero soldier sacked while on sick leave

Apr 12 2009 by Nick McCarthy, Sunday Mercury

A GULF War hero has been kicked out of the Army while on sick leave – and told that he owes £8,000 in wages.

Corporal Darren Clemie completed two tours of duty in Iraq as well as in Bosnia, Kosovo and Northern Ireland during a distinguished 17-year career.

But the Birmingham-based member of the Yorkshire Regiment was signed off sick in 2005 after he and colleagues were accused of gun smuggling and drug possession while in Basra.

The dad-of-two was acquitted in 2007 but seven soldiers were jailed for smuggling arms back to their base in Germany.

Cpl Clemie, 36, remained on sick leave and on full pay after the trial as he battled alcoholism and a marriage breakdown. But in February the Army stopped paying him without warning – and told him he had been discharged in a phone call.

Cpl Clemie said: “I wanted to stay in the military and only found out about the discharge when I wasn’t paid. I was told on the phone that the Army had discharged me.

“But as far as I am concerned I have not been discharged. There has been no discharge certificate and absolutely no contact with the military.

“The Army is now saying that I owe it £8,024 and claim to have tried to stop paying me three times in 2008. I have instructed lawyers because I want to stay in the Army and this is unfair dismissal.”

He added: “I was cleared of any involvement in the arms and drugs case. But I believe the Army thinks I am a bad penny, it has just washed its hands of me. I have been left to rot without and care or support.

“The Army just wants me to disappear.