Stressed out

Yet it is important to remember that their service can also carry with it a hidden cost. The examples of troops suffering post- traumatic stress disorder after the horrors of battle have been increasing since the first Gulf War 20 years ago. The condition cannot be seen like a physical injury and the symptoms may not be immediately apparent to a soldier returning from the front line.

However, its effects can be devastating, with campaigners, such as

Hull's Shaun Rusling from the National Gulf War Veterans' Association, arguing that the Ministry of Defence has failed, for far too long, to face up to the reality of post-traumatic stress.

Measures outlined by David Cameron yesterday to improve mental-health checks of combat troops are essential.

It is the duty of the next Government to ensure that our Armed Forces are not only properly equipped to do an incredibly difficult job, but also properly supported to be able to get on with the rest of their lives when they return home.