A SOLDIER was bashed by three or four men at his Darwin army base and says he was left for two days with no medical treatment.

Private Lachlan Nimmo, 33, has told The NT News about a culture of violence and a lack of support for victims in Defence.

He was bashed by "three or four men" in a carpark at Robertson Barracks on October 12 last year.

He was found bloodied and slipping in and out of consciousness in his room two days later.

Despite calls from his distraught wife, Evelyn, 29, guards did not look for him until he missed a shift.

By the time he was found and taken to Royal Darwin Hospital, his kidneys had shut down. He was put in an induced coma, underwent 10 operations and spent the next two months in hospital.

Doctors said he was just hours away from death.

Pte Nimmo does not remember the whole attack but believes it was someone who knew him because he heard someone use his nickname.

Defence initially refused to comment to The NT News - saying only that Pte Nimmo would be disciplined because he did not seek permission to speak to the media.

They later provided a statement - but refused to attribute the comments to anyone. The statement said Pte Nimmo was taken to a medical centre for treatment and that military police, the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service and NT Police were investigating.

But Pte Nimmo said he was told after the attack that he would be discharged in February - without support for ongoing medical bills.

Read more about this developing story at The NT News website.

