Veterans’ garage in Gawler built by ex-soldier who lost six mates to suicide targeted by thieves

A Black Ops Veteran who built a safe space for ex-soldiers after losing six mates to suicide has been gutted by the selfish actions of others.

Ex-army engineer Jonny Spicer founded the Black Ops Veterans Garage in 2019 to support struggling veterans. Picture: Tim Joy

A former soldier has been left devastated after his military veterans’ garage in Gawler was ransacked.

Jonny Spicer, who served 22 years in the Australian Army with deployments to East Timor and Afghanistan, founded the Black Ops Veterans Garage after losing more than half a dozen mates to suicide.

“I was sick and tired of my mates committing suicide,” he said.

“You can sit back and wish for something better to come around … but I decided I needed to take action and get things sorted.”

Jonny didn’t come from a business background, he was an ex-army engineer who turned his skills and lived experience into something that could help others.

He set up the garage in 2019 as a hands-on, non-judgemental space where ex-servicemen could tinker with bikes and cars, reconnect with a sense of purpose, and quietly support each other through the unspoken battles that linger after service.

Jonny Spicer in Afghanistan in 2009, sitting in overwatch on a tank as part of the explosives ordinance despoil team providing support to patrolling platoons. Picture: Supplied

“It’s based on the Men’s Shed concept,” he said.

“As veterans, we don’t open up to people just out of the blue. And as bikers, you don’t either. So the idea is, you come in, you work on a project – and through that, you build trust. You form a rapport. Then maybe you open up. Or maybe you just show up. Either way, it’s something.”

Jonny Spicer, Aaron Marks, Jake Beers, Ryan Foster, Chris Wilson and Damien Barrett on November 5, 2020 in the Black Ops Veterans Garage. Picture: Matt Turner.

Thieves broke into the shed, stealing an estimated $10,000 worth of donated tools and equipment. Picture: Matt Turner.

But on July 2, that lifeline was violated. Thieves broke into the Willaston shed, making off with an estimated $10,000 worth of donated tools and equipment, including camera hard drives from neighbouring sheds.

“They knew what they were doing,” Jonny said.

The loss hit hard.

“It was heart-wrenching. It felt like all the hard work I’d done had gone to waste,” he said.

“I felt gutted. And I know how hard it is to raise that kind of money.”

Jonny Spicer in Afghanistan in 2012 as an Army Engineer. Picture: Supplied

The timing was especially cruel. Jonny and his team had just secured a permanent home for the garage, part of a new community hub known as the ABC Centre (Apex, Black Ops, Car Club), thanks to support from local MP Tony Piccolo.

That next chapter is still on the way but the break-in has left a mark.

“I still have my mates’ numbers saved in my phone,” Jonny said. “But I know they’re not around anymore.”

For him, the garage was never just about bikes and tools, it was about making sure others didn’t slip through the cracks.

Originally published as Veterans’ garage in Gawler built by ex-soldier who lost six mates to suicide targeted by thieves