Soldier Stories

LCpl Martyn Compton LG, suffered horrendous injuries following a well coordinated Taliban ambush near the town of Musa Qaleh, Helmand Province, Afghanistan on 1 Aug 07. Martyn's Spartan CVR(T) was destroyed by an Improvised Explosive Device, which killed the remainder of the crew and left him with 70% burns to his body, most notably to his torso, head and arms.

He also suffered a complicated gun shot wound to his right leg as he tried to extract from the immediate area. Martyn has undergone numerous operations and skin grafts, enduring many hours of operations

Throughout his ordeal, Martyn has shown nothing but the stoutest resolve and ambition to get back to work. His wife Michelle, along with their families has been instrumental in aiding his remarkable recovery, with added financial burdens.

They and Martyn will continue their journey but will require financial assistance in the many years to come. Recently the fund paid for an adapted bathroom and gym equipment to aid Martyn's recovery and rehabilitation.

LCpl Martyn Compton LG describeS his experiences

At 1350 hrs local time, Friday 2 May 2008, whilst providing protection for a routine patrol in the Nowzad area of northern Helmand, the vehicle he was travelling in suffered a minestrike.

Three other British soldiers and one local national were also injured in the incident. The medical incident response team was called in and evacuated the casualties to the ISAF medical facilities at Camp Bastion.

Sadly Trooper Babakobau was pronounced dead on arrival. The remaining casualties received treatment for their injuries.

Trooper Ratu Sakeasi Babakobau, 29, from Fiji, joined the Army in 2004 to serve in the Household Cavalry Regiment. He deployed to Afghanistan in April 2008 serving under the command of 5 SCOTS. This was his first deployment on operations overseas.

He is survived by his wife Camari and two sons, Ratu Seru, aged four, and Ratu Sakeasi Sucumailodoni Selamu, aged one.

Trooper Munday was serving as a Jackal driver on Operation HERRICK 8 when he was killed in action in Helmand province Action on 15 Oct 08. His Troop was conducting a routine patrol approximately 23km north of Forward Operating Base Delhi when he was killed by a contact explosion.

Despite the best efforts of the medical team Trooper Munday was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other soldiers were also injured in the blast.

Universally known as ""Magpie", Trooper James Munday, aged 21, from the Birmingham area, joined the Army on 9 February 2005 and after passing out of basic training he went straight to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in Knightsbridge.

He stayed there for 18 months and spent a season riding with the Musical Ride, widely acknowledged as a privilege open only to the best jockeys. He also displayed an unusual talent for downhill skiing and was an accomplished rugby player.

Trooper Munday moved to the Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR) based at Windsor in April 2007, where he was trained as a Scimitar driver and gunner.

He looked forward to deploying to Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK 8 and quickly proved himself as a reliable operator in the demanding environment of southern Helmand.

In November 2009 Recce Troop were conducting a joint patrol with Afghan forces south of the town of Musa Qaleh. Whilst crossing an irrigation ditch, Trooper Ward's Jackal hit an IED, the force of which blew the crew out of the vehicle.

Trooper Ward lost his right leg below the knee in the blast, and sustained severe injuries to his left leg. After being evacuated to Camp Bastion Medical Hospital and then Sellyoak Hospital in Birmingham, it was discovered that the left leg could not be saved, despite the best efforts of the medical staff, and it was also amputated. Throughout his hospitalisation, Trooper Ward's girlfriend was with him, having been flown over from America.

Trooper Ward is presently undergoing rehabilitation at Headley Court in Surrey, where he has been fitted with his prosthetic limbs, and, after intensive physiotherapy and occupational therapy, he is now able to both walk unaided and to drive a manual car.

In December 2009 Recce Troop were providing overwatch for Afghan forces during a deliberate operation to probe for enemy forces. While crossing a field during this operation Trooper O'Farrell's vehicle was blown up by a mine, which seriously injured both himself and the commander of the vehicle.

Trooper O'Farrell sustained complex and traumatic injuries to both his legs and was evacuated to Camp Bastion Medical Hospital. The bones in his left leg were shattered and Tpr O'Farrell underwent ten difficult and painful operations to reconstruct the leg, each operation lasting five hours or more, and involving external fixation to ensure the bones grew back in the correct position.

The blast wounds sustained to his right leg also required significant skin grafting. The severe nature of the injuries raised the question of whether he would be able to walk again.

From Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, Trooper O'Farrell was flown to Sellyoak Hospital in Birmingham, where, after stabilising surgery, he was able to commence his rehabilitation through physiotherapy and limited physical training.

Throughout this time, Trooper O'Farrell's family were by his side, having been flown over from his home in South Africa. He spent ten weeks in total in Sellyoak Hospital, and, by the end of this time, through hard work and the expert assistance of the medical staff, he was able to take his first tentative steps on crutches.

Trooper O'Farrell is, at present, continuing his rehabilitation at Headley Court in Surrey, where he has made rapid progress, making full use of the well-equipped facilities and range of treatments provided.

The frame that held his bones in place, causing significant discomfort, has now been removed, and Trooper O'Farrell, has made his first successful unaided walk. He is determined to continue with his career in the Army, and is eager to return to Afghanistan as a medic as soon as possible.

In January 2010, Recce Troop was involved in a high speed pursuit in the desert west of Musa Qaleh in an attempt to apprehend a suspected insurgent vehicle. Captain Jelinek's Jackal crashed during the chase, ejecting both the commander and the driver out of the vehicle.

Captain Jelinek sustained a spinal fracture, dislocated hip, and fractured pelvis, rib, and clavicle, as well as tearing the ligaments in his knee. He was evacuated to Camp Bastion Medical Hospital, where his hip was put back in place, and then flown to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where surgeons operated on his spine to stabilise the fracture. He then moved to Sellyoak Hospital where he had an operation to repair the ligaments in his knee.

Regrettably the spinal fracture also caused damage to the spinal cord, resulting in a neurological deficit and loss of motor skills in the lower body. On moving to Headley Court Captain Jelinek quickly progressed from a wheelchair to crutches, and then a walking stick. He has also been trained in how to manage with his deficiency in functions, which has allowed him to return to relative normality. He is now walking unaided.

Captain Jelinek had been due to perform ceremonial duties with the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment on his return from tour in Afghanistan. He expressed his desire to continue horse-riding despite his injuries, and the occupational therapists are keen to get him mounted as quickly as possible.

In January 2010 LCpl Mapp's troop of Scimitar light tanks were providing fire support to assist the infantry in clearing insurgents from compounds north of the town of Musa Qaleh. During the move to the fire support location, LCpl Mapp's Scimitar was blown up by an IED, the force of which blew the turret off of the vehicle, and split the hull in two.

LCpl Mapp was thrown from the drivers hatch and landed between the upside-down turret and the wrecked hull. The troop then came under sustained small-arms fire from the insurgents.

LCpl Mapp's left leg was severed by the blast of the IED, and his right was badly broken (and subsequently had to be amputated.) He also sustained severe injuries to his left hand, a collapsed lung, and a broken jaw, with the lower lip nearly completely torn from his face.

LCpl Mapp was extracted from the fight by quad bike and then flown by helicopter to Camp Bastion Medical Hospital, where his right leg was amputated.

Still unconscious, LCpl Mapp was flown to Sellyoak Hospital in Birmingham, where he remained in an induced coma for eight days while he underwent further surgery, including facial reconstruction.

Less than twenty-four hours after the incident, LCpl Mapp's family were flown from Barbados to be by his side. LCpl Mapp spent four weeks in Sellyoak Hospital in total, and during this time he came to terms with his injuries and resolved not to be defeated by this cruel incident.

LCpl Mapp is now at Headley Court continuing with his rehabilitation. He has made rapid progress, and was walking on his prosthetic limbs within a week of arriving, becoming the first soldier to do so. He is also determined to participate in the UK Para Olympic volleyball team in the 2012 Olympics.

Lance Corporal of Horse Woodgate was killed by an insurgent's grenade on 26 March 2010 whilst on foot patrol with 4 Troop, BRF, near Sangin.

Jonathan Woodgate was born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. He attended Great Cornard Upper School before joining the Army Foundation College in 2001.

After completing his training, he moved to Windsor and joined D Squadron, Household Cavalry Regiment, and deployed on Op FRESCO and on Op TELIC 1 as a driver in 2 Troop. These tours were followed shortly by Op HERRICK 4 as a gunner for the 1Troop, Corporal of Horse.

After returning home from HERRICK 4, he immediately moved across to B Squadron and started training to deploy again to Iraq on TELIC 10 with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force. He completed Close Observation Training Advisory Course as a team commander and deployed in May 2007.

Recently Lance Corporal of Horse Woodgate completed a Formation Recce Crew Commanders' Course finishing in the top three of the course.

Shortly after completing the course, Lance Corporal of Horse Woodgate went to Canada to take part in two MEDMAN exercises in the OPFOR Recce Company, to gain experience as a vehicle commander. On returning to Windsor he was sent to Command Troop for a few months before rejoining B Squadron shortly before Easter 2009 to prepare for Op HERRICK 11.

He completed the Surveillance Reconnaissance Wing course as a Section Commander with a high pass, and also took part in the testing pre-deployment training needed to be part of the Brigade Reconnaissance Force.

It was to be his last patrol of the tour. He leaves behind his parents and three sisters.

In February 2010 5 Troop, A Squadron, were moving through the agricultural belt surrounding Lash Kar Gah when one of its CVR(T) vehicles struck an Improvised Explosive Device. Trooper Dunn LG, lost his lower right leg in the blast and suffered injuries to his face and left hand as well as his lower left leg.

Despite these injuries Trooper Dunn remained conscious and helped to extract himself from his crew position with the aid of his comrades, showing both grit and perseverance. Trooper Dunn was initially evacuated to Camp Bastion Medical Hospital, before being flown to Sellyoak Hospital in Birmingham, UK

Since his return to the UK Trooper Dunn has had countless operations to help heal his wounds and to recover his mobility and strength. He has received a prosthetic limb and dedicated hundreds of hours to physiotherapy at Headley Court in order to once again be able to stand on his own as well as drive a car.