'Being in the RAF was the time of my life. But the way it ended ruined so much for me'

KEVIN Jones had everything going for him when he joined the Royal Air Force as a teenager.

- JONATHON HILL

The Newport boy had realised a dream he had held since he was a child, and rose to the position of sergeant, quickly becoming a well-respected member of the armed forces.

But it all came crashing down when a bitter ex-partner decided sent a letter to his barracks, addressed to his commanding officer, informing them of Kevin's sexuality.

Until the year 2000, LGBT+ people were banned from serving in the military, and like thousands of others, Kevin had to hide the fact he was gay for the sake of his career. He also relied on close friends and sexual partners to keep it quiet.

The ban was repealed after a long campaign by a veterans group called Rank Outsiders, and then taken on by Fighting with Pride, who have called for compensation for victims.

Kevin, who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, said he is yet to receive any acknowledgement or recompense for what he went through.

"I knew I was gay when I joined the RAF, but I didn’t truly think it would get in the way," Kevin said from his home in Newport.

"I was seeing a local boy in Scotland at the time, where I was based, and we had a relationship, which ended.

"He gave me up and sent a letter to the commander. I was immediately called into the officer in number ones [the highest uniform] several times.

"It meant everyone knew I was in trouble. It was humiliating."

Once accusations against Kevin being gay were out - which were true but which he denied right up until he left the RAF - his life became "very difficult", he said.