THE Prince of Wales has warned of the stored-up psychological damage among former and current servicemen involved in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

The Prince's intervention comes as the charity Combat Stress launches a new Enemy Within appeal to raise £30 million for a national network of community outreach teams to support former servicemen and women suffering from post-traumatic stress.

The money could help 265 veterans across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset who are already receiving support from Combat Stress.

This figure could rise sharply among the 17,000 servicemen who leave the forces every year because of the intense fighting by overstretched troops in recent years in Iraq, and now Afghanistan.

The Prince said: "The unseen injuries of war – the nightmares, flashbacks, anxieties, depression, anger and guilt – in short, the psychological injuries, can render the sufferer totally incapacitated.

"The impact of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan may only be seen in the years to come."

Among veterans who contacted the charity, not one had been discharged for psychiatric reasons, suggesting the problems only became apparent much later.

The Prince said: "For complex reasons, it takes, on average, 14 years after leaving the services before veterans seek help from Combat Stress."

This means veterans of the conflicts in the Falklands, Bosnia, Northern Ireland and the first Gulf War are only now coming forward. By this point, Charles says, "many veterans are at the end of their tether", with a third of them unemployed and placing great pressures on their families who are having to cope with their erratic behaviour.

He says: "Social isolation is common, alcohol and/or drug abuse is often seen as a refuge, and I am afraid that this downward spiral leads many to contemplate taking their own lives. It is equally clear how much veterans' families suffer too. Without professional help, many ex-service families can find themselves torn apart by the effects of psychological injury."

The Prince has also urged former servicemen to treat their psychological injuries as physical injuries, which need to be treated professionally.

He helped to launch the appeal at a reception yesterday in St James' Palace.

Chai Patel, the healthcare millionaire and a supporter of the Labour party, has agreed to pledge £1 million and chair the appeal.

A hard-hitting television advert, which shows a veteran cowering in his kitchen as he imagines himself back on the battlefield, airs from tonight and can be watched here.

Dr Patel said: "In return for the risks taken on our behalf by our service men and women, we have an obligation to look after those who are wounded and their families."