SAS hero of 1980 Iranian Embassy siege Bob Curry has been left penniless and forced to live in B&B because council failed to house him
Sign the change.org petition to help Bob Curry, 64, who says the society he has fought for has turned its back on him after being forced to live on charity handouts
A PENNILESS SAS hero of the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege has been left homeless.
Bob Curry, 64, is in a B&B in Hereford thanks to mates as the council failed to house him.
Bob, who helped free 19 hostages in London, warned: “This can happen to any veteran.”
The hero told of his despair at facing life on the streets - broke and homeless after decades of service to his country.
“It was as if the society I had fought for all my life had turned its back on me.”
He is temporarily in a B&B, paid for by charity handouts, because his local council says it cannot find him a home.
The former SAS sergeant fell on hard times when a business collapsed last July and he lost his home when splitting up with his partner of 25 years.
Proud Bob — who served in the Falklands war and undercover tours in Northern Ireland — said: “If this can happen to me it can happen to any veteran.
“And it is happening to veterans all over the country.”
The Sun backed a petition by SAS legend Andy McNab to urge Herefordshire County Council to recognise Bob’s service to his country and find him a permanent, suitable home.
Andy said: “He not only needs help, this guy deserves our help.
“We don’t want any veteran left behind, but Bob has paid his dues, and should be looked after.
"Hopefully we can put pressure on the council to act.”
He should go to the front of the queue
Col Richard Kemp, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan
Col Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, said: “He should go to the front of the queue for council housing right now.
“He’s risked his life for this country — given a huge amount to defending her citizens.”
Bob and other hooded Who Dares Wins troopers stormed the Iranian Embassy in London in 1980 to free hostages being held by terrorists.
Known to mates as “Backdoor Bob”, he bravely stormed the rear of the building while comrades abseiled from the balcony in iconic TV images seen by millions around the world.
He was in a team who faced dissidents armed with pistols, sub-machine guns and grenades.
Five gunmen were killed and one was arrested. Although one hostage died, 19 were freed.
Bob, who also worked as a close protection officer for Princess Diana, has since had two heart attacks, is registered disabled and a diabetic.
In 2015 he sold his medals for more than £20,000 to raise funds as his business failed.
He said: “I've been in tough spots through my career but with my health now I wouldn’t have survived long on the streets — SAS training or not.
“I was sat in the council offices explaining my life to someone who looked at me as though I was nothing. It's hard to go cap in hand to the council and ask for help. I hated it but I had no choice.”
Herefordshire County Council told him in November to fill in forms for a council house to see if he fitted criteria. He is still waiting.
The only place they could offer was a hostel containing ex-crooks, drug addicts and people with mental problems. But Bob could only cope there for two nights.
He said: “I was sleeping on a sofa in my daughter’s rental house for all of December.”
He swallowed his pride and asked the Royal British Legion and SAS Regimental Association. if they could help.
They found B&B accommodation in Hereford but only for 28 days.
Bob joined the Army as a boy soldier aged 15½ in 1968 before joining the SAS in 1979.
Backdoor Bob: Get him a front door
SAS hero Andy McNab wants Sun readers to back his petition to get Bob a permanent home.
Go to to sign now.
We will pass it on to Herefordshire Council.
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He left in 1985 and later worked for then Harrods owner Mohammed Fayed and guarded son Dodi.
Bob stressed: “A lot of veterans struggle and need help and they are not getting it.”
Herefordshire county council said: “We are continuing to work with the individual to help them secure appropriate housing.”
Sad plight of our veterans
AROUND 13,000 ex-servicemen and women are homeless, with many battling mental health issues.
Research by Kings College London revealed 66,000 of the 757,000 regulars who served in the Armed Forces from 1991 to 2014 will require support for their mental or physical health.
It is estimated that 17,000 wounded or sick veterans are looking for employment at any one time in the UK.
Some 3,000 ex-military personnel are currently in jail in England and Wales — making up 3½ per cent of the prison population.