VETERANS from Saltash have been the recent focus of a digital project capturing portraits for posterity.

Plymouth-based photographer Mark ‘Taffy’ Humphreys-Turner is the founder of the Veterans in Focus project paying tribute to veterans from all walks of life.

His aim is to create a digital archive, combining visual portraits with personal stories, as a living record of those who served their country.

So far the photographer, himself a veteran, has photographed around 60 veterans, including those from the Saltash Veterans group. About 15 veterans meet at the Saltash Veterans group twice a month at Ashtorre Rock for an all-inclusive session with veterans of all three services and their families welcome to attend.

Veterans in Saltash were snapped recently and added to Mark's catalogue of nearly 60 veterans and veterans families.
Saltash Veterans including organiser Linda Fergus-Hunt were snapped recently and added to Mark's digital collection. (Mark Humphreys-Turner)

Linda Fergus-Hunt, organiser of the Saltash Veterans said: “I first saw Veterans In Focus on social medial with all the photos of veterans and families. I got in touch with Mark to come a take some photos for the Saltash Veterans.

“I have arranged for him to return and I will certainly advertise much more so that more of the Saltash community and surrounding area get the chance to be part of it.”

Veterans can be photographed individually or with their wife or partner, or the whole family.
Veterans can be photographed individually or with their wife or partner, or the whole family. (Mark Humphreys-Turner)

Photographer Mark joined the Army in 1979. He first served with the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (2 PARA). His first taste of conflict came during the Falklands War in 1982.

After a serious knee injury ended his time with the Paras, he transferred to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and continued to serve on operational tours in Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Bosnia.

Years of conflict and the harsh realities of service took their toll and he was diagnosed with PTSD and later with a rare blood condition that caused a cardiac arrest. Mark was placed in an induced coma, and when he woke up, he found he’d lost two years of memory.

Photography, his hobby over many years, became his lifeline and a way to distract and heal his mind.

Mark is also photographing families of veterans who are no longer living to remember their service.
Mark is also photographing families of veterans who are no longer living to remember their service. (Mark Humphreys-Turner)

Mark said: “I hit a brick wall in the earlier days, but every photo I snapped removed one of the bricks from that wall until it was fully down.”

Mark captures the veterans against a backdrop of the Union flag either individually or with their husband or wife. For families who have lost their veterans, he can take the portrait of family members holding an image of their loved one.

He said: “I am continuing to do this for as long as I can. The more veterans that I can photograph the more memories we can make.”

The digital project to capture portraits of veterans for longevity is the brainchild of Falklands veteran Mark Humphreys-Turner.
The digital project to capture portraits of veterans for longevity is the brainchild of Falklands veteran Mark Humphreys-Turner. (Mark Humphreys-Turner)

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help purchase equipment to continue the project. Mark added: “I am doing this voluntary. I have had no funding to do it at all. I do have a Gofundme page set up but purely to obtain a couple of flash speed lights which would help me take even better images.”

Any veterans interested in being involved can contact Mark on on the Veterans in Focus Facebook page or email [email protected].

Donations can be made to www.gofundme.com/f/veterans-in-focus-portrait-project-wvw2