Local veteran joins 2000-nautical mile maritime expedition to support struggling veterans

Steve Chalk (74), a local veteran from Hereford, has been selected to join the Full Circle Expedition – an epic 2,000-nautical-mile adventure around the UK, supporting the recovery, resilience, and reconnection of wounded, injured and sick (WIS) veterans and serving personnel.

The expedition is coordinated by veteran sailing charity Turn to Starboard and delivered in partnership with Invictus Games Birmingham 2027.

Steve was invited onto the expedition to help him re-engage with, and support, other veterans who have suffered physical or mental trauma in the line of duty.

“This is an opportunity to get back to sea, which I miss terribly. Since retiring I miss the camaraderie and banter of the military,” Steve said. “After a 28 year long military career in both the Royal Navy and the Army (TA Port & Maritime), I now volunteer my time to help other veterans who are struggling to find peace and live a more fulfilled life outside the forces.”

Full Circle will see two traditionally rigged tall ships, Spirit of Falmouth and Pellew, crewed by a rotating team of 70 wounded, injured and sick (WIS) veterans sail around the UK. The 12-week expedition sets sail from Falmouth on 17 March 2026, visiting 22 ports across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland before returning home in June.

Steve will be joining the first leg of the expedition, sailing from Falmouth to Chatham.

Throughout the journey, the crew will carry the Invictus Games Flag around the UK, raising it at each port to build momentum towards Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 and its one-year-to-go milestone at the NEC in July 2026.

Founded by Prince Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games is an international adaptive sporting event using the power of sport to support the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.

Steve joined the Navy aged 15 when he and two friends took an unauthorised day off from school and went on a day trip to Brighton. He explained; “My grandfather was in the Navy, so I was always interested in joining. When my school was changed overnight from being an old-fashioned grammar school to being a politically ‘flavour of the month’ comprehensive school, the culture was very different, and the emphasis on high quality teaching and pupil discipline was altogether lower.

“Whilst playing hooky, something we’d never have got away with before in the grammar school, we decided that we wanted to run away to sea together and join the Royal Navy. Consequently, we walked into the recruitment office in Brighton together and signed up.”

“We hadn’t told our parents, but of course, our secret was quickly exposed when the parental- consent paperwork arrived at our homes.”

Fortunately, all of our parents signed us off, but the dream of a joint adventure was short lived as the three friends were sent, because of slight age differences, to different training ships. Steve added; “I went to the shore-based training centre HMS Vincent in Gosport, whilst the other two went their separate ways. I did meet up with one of my friends from back then, six years later, when our two ships, happened to both visit Copenhagen, but we have since lost contact.”

He then spent a further seven years in the Royal Navy training as a sonar operator and rising to the rank of Leading Seaman Sonar Controller Class 2 where he was involved in patrols off the South African coastline during the Rhodesian Independence affair, the Far East, the Persian Gulf and North of the Arctic Circle in the so-called ‘Cod Wars’ in the dispute between Iceland and the UK over fishing rights in the North Sea.

After leaving the Navy in 1989, and having thoroughly enjoyed his most of his time in the forces, Steve saw an advert for The Territorial Army (TA) that read ‘Join the Army’s Navy’. Not feeling like his service life was complete, he once again signed up. Joining as a Driver in the Royal Corps of Transport, Territorial Army, he joined 265 Port & Maritime Squadron where his previous experience allowed him to progress quickly through the ranks. The Squadron became a regiment (165 Port & Maritime Regiment) and grew exponentially.

He added; “I spent 20 years with the TA, mostly part time, but with a one-year full-time posting during the second Gulf War, where I served in Marchwood, Kuwait and then in Iraq at the Port of Umm Qasr. At the time we were the first TA regiment to be mobilised since the second World War and being sent to Iraq, was a bit of an eye-opener for many of the lads, but we did the job and all came home.”

By now Steve was a Staff Sergeant Class One Seaman / Navigator, having the time of his life driving many of the Army’s myriad vessels and planning the marine aspects of the unit’s training. Eventually the age barrier could be broached no more and his time in the TA came to an end.

Despite his own challenges with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which was likely triggered by his time in the Royal Navy, Steve now volunteers his time to support other veterans who are suffering from mental or physical health complications.

“We have a great support network for veterans in Hereford, particularly the Herefordshire Veteran Support Centre (HVSC), and I’m also an ADMIN person for the (130 strong) Hereford Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club (HAFVBC). It’s really rewarding work,” added Steve.

The voyage is also raising £300,000 to enable Turn to Starboard to purchase a second tall ship, so that the charity can support more veterans facing challenges such as PTSD, physical injury, isolation and loss of confidence. To donate to Full Circle, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/t2sfullcircle

The expedition also forms part of the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 Impact Strategy, creating meaningful recovery opportunities while building national awareness and engagement ahead of the Games.

To follow the expedition on social media, visit www.turntostarboard.co.uk and www.invictusgames2027.org; and follow progress through Instagram (@fullcirclet2s and @Birmingham_2027), TikTok (fullcirclet2s and weareinvictusgames), Facebook (Full Circle T2S and Invictus Games Birmingham 2027), X (@Birmingham2027) and LinkedIn (Turn to Starboard and Invictus Games Birmingham 2027).

Turn to Starboard would like to thank the Invictus Games Foundation; our founding partner AirTanker; and partners, Team Forces, Palo Alto, Forces Support and Just Giving for supporting the T2S Full Circle expedition.