A former Royal Navy medic has recounted the terrifying moment she was nearly killed by an Iraqi civilian she was treating during the Iraq War. Celia 'Mitch' Mitchell, 65, attended a service at the National Memorial Arboretum on Friday to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the conflict's end, which claimed the lives of 179 British personnel and injured 6,000.
Attack During Treatment
Mitchell, who served with 34 Field Hospital in Shaibah, described being just two miles ahead of the front line—the first British medical unit to operate forward of the front since the Crimean War. While treating an Iraqi patient, he attempted to slash her throat with a razor blade. 'I was treating his wounds and changing his dressings. You have to allow them to shave so they were given Bic razors but they were pulling them apart. I could see the guy fiddling around and I just moved back in time. I had to defend myself with a steel bedpan, it was a quick reaction,' she said.
Ongoing Trauma
Mitchell was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 12 years after returning from Iraq. She admitted to still having 'dark days' when she bursts into tears without knowing why. 'You come home from the war, your body comes home but your mind stays there,' she added. She expressed relief that British troops were not sent to Iran, calling it 'not our war.'
Another Veteran's Story
Janet Riddell, 59, also a former Royal Navy member, shared her experience of being injured when her Black Hawk helicopter was shot down near Baghdad. The crash damaged her knees, leading to years of pain and the amputation of her right leg in 2017. Riddell recalled the constant mortar fire and the 'Baghdad dance' she and a friend performed to avoid incoming rounds. She stayed in theatre to avoid replacing a colleague undergoing IVF treatment.
The veterans spoke as part of commemorations marking 15 years since the end of the Iraq War, highlighting the lasting physical and psychological scars borne by those who served.
