Help for Heroes is ‘about the blokes’, the men and women of our Armed Forces. Since 2007, H4H has helped hundreds of men and women who have been wounded, injured or become sick in the line of duty since 9/11. Here are some of their stories.

Pete ‘The Feet’ Dunning

Pete's Story. . .
I was serving with the Royal Marines Armoured Support Company on OP HERRICK 8, supporting 2 Para. On the 25th May 2008 we had just finished our last mission and were returning to Camp Bastion, just as we were about to cross the Helmand River the armoured vehicle I was travelling in struck an IED...

Colonel David Richmond

David's Story. . .
Colonel David Richmond, 45, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was injured in June 2008 while commanding his Battle Group just north of Musa Qaleh, near a village they called ‘Kats’...

Rifleman Craig Wood

Craig's Story. . .
Craig, 20, remembers a white flash and his friend running towards him before he blacked out. It was July 2009 and the 18-year old Rifleman was on a routine afternoon patrol. It was three months into his tour, his battalion, 2RIFLES, was based in Sangin and had already experienced a high number of casualties. This was Craig's first experience of a warzone. "Part of my job," he says, "was to go out with my platoon or company on foot patrols. We would talk to the locals, find out how they were and help them in any way."...

Simon Harmer

Simon's Story. . .
It was the 26th of October 2009, Sergeant Simon Harmer, 33, was just one month into his tour, serving with the Royal Army Medical Core in Afghanistan. Simon was just 200 metres outside of the patrol base, when he stepped on an IED. The first person on the scene was a young Private and, despite the severity of his wounds, Simon managed to talk the boy through applying the initial, life saving, first aid.... A medic, Simon was under no illusions about how bad his injuries were...

Scott Meenagh

Scotts's Story. . .
In January 2011, Private Scott Meenagh was acting as the point man with 2nd Battallion, Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan. Scott had just come back from his two week R&R after visiting his girlfriend in Australia. He had been feeling hugely apprehensive throughout the break, his mind had still been in Afghanistan and knowing what he was returning to had made the journey back all the the more difficult. . .
Clifford O'Farrell

Martin's Story. . .
Sergeant Martin Beaney is currently serving at a careers office in London. His story starts back in 2006 when 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets were deployed on Operation Telic 9 in Basra, Southern Iraq. At the time of deployment, Martin was a Corporal, ‘when we heard we were being deployed, we were all excited to be going and many of us had watched the news with a keen interest. My personal feelings about the tour were that it would be like nothing. . .
Clifford O'Farrell Clifford's Story . . .
Clifford O’Farrell was serving with the Household Cavalry in Afghanistan when, in December 2009, the Jackal he was travelling in hit an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED). ‘I was left semi unconscious with a fractured right hip joint, shattered left tibia and fibula, broken heels and half my right calf missing. My commander had fractured wrists. During the incident, even though I was in a terrible state, I tried to treat myself and get to my commander to give him first aid.’
Simon Jones H4H Testimonial Simon's Story . . .
Royal Marine Simon Jones was serving with 45 Commando in Afghanistan and was five months into his tour when he was injured. Simon was on a routine foot patrol on 18th February 2009. He was acting as point man in the section which involves being the lead man in the patrol, searching for IEDs and clearing a safe route for the rest of the men. Simon and his section commander had gone ahead and were in a field when the IED went off.
Josh Campbell Josh's Story . . .
Private Josh Campbell was coming to the end of his 6 month tour in September 2009. He was in Afghanistan, serving with 23 Pioneer Regiment, RLC and the tour had gone well, the regiment had not sustained any major casualties and the end was in sight. On 17th September, whilst on a routine vehicle resupply in the Babaji district of central Helmand, Josh’s vehicle drove over an IED. The explosion caused the vehicle to roll on its side.
Matt Kingston Matt's Story . . .
For Matt Kingston, joining the Royal Marines seemed logical: it was a combination of his desire to be a soldier and his passion for the sea. Unfortunately, the full term career he had hoped for was ended on his first tour of Afghanistan. 'I guess that's just what we all signed up for at the end of the day and I don't regret a minute!'
Jonathon Le Galloudec Frenchie's Story . . .
In May 2007, Lance Corporal Jonathon "Frenchie" Le Galloudec arrived in Basra for a six-month tour of duty alongside his friend, Corporal Rodney Wilson. In the early morning of 7 June, Frenchie and Rodney's patrol was part of an arrest and detain operation in the Al Atiyah district.
Matthew Wilson Matthew's Story . . .
Lance Corporal Matthew Wilson, 2nd Battalion The Rifles, was injured in June 2009 when he stood on an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) during a routine foot patrol in Afghanistan. He lost his lower leg and badly damaged his arm.
Ben McBean Ben's Story . . .
Ben McBean, who served in the Royal Marines, was injured five months into his first tour of Afghanistan in February 2007. It was a boiling-hot day as they started their routine foot patrol. An hour into their walk the group had to run across 60 metres of open ground. "I was running as fast as I could, following the guy in front, before I knew it, I was upside down and my face was burning" recalls Ben.
Jennifer Warren Jennifer's Story . . .
Jennifer Warren was injured in a skiing accident in 2007, where she lost her mobility, her independence and most importantly for her, was prevented from doing the job she loved. Jen joined the Army for adventure and a touch of teenage rebellion - her father is ex-RAF.

Andy Allen Andy's Story . . .
Ranger Andy Allen was hit by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) in 2008 whilst on tour in Afghanistan. The force of the horrific blast lifted him off the ground and tore off his right leg it also burnt his corneas, leaving Andy blind.
James Berry Jim's Story . . .
James (Jim to his friends), an officer from First Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, was injured in September 2006 by a grenade whilst on operation in Afghanistan. He spent a fortnight in a coma and awoke to find that the shrapnel from the grenade had destroyed his right eye and left him with serious brain damage. His eye was later removed but all the fragments of shrapnel had to be left in situ for fear of causing further damage.
Derek Derenalagi Derek's Story . . .
On 19th July 2007, Derek was in Helmand Province, clearing a helicopter landing site and went up to high ground to get a clear view of the area. As his vehicle reversed to park, it hit an IED and exploded. Derek says ‘I remember lying there with my legs shattered and people around me screaming. I looked up to the sky and said a prayer: Lord Jesus, if you need to use me to motivate others about Your Kingdom, please give me back my life again.’
Andy Newell Andy's Story . . .
Andy was injured in Afghanistan in July 2006 when he was the Operations Warrant Officer of the Pathfinders, the Advance Force for 16 Air Assault Brigade based in Colchester. Andy was shot in the arm and his bone (humerus) was shattered into more than 60 pieces and was told the only reason his arm hadn’t been amputated was because the bullet hadn’t hit an artery.
Neil Heritage Neil's Story . . .
Neil Heritage, 30, was injured in November 2004 in Iraq when he was clearing a route for IEDs and a suicide bomber got through the cordon and detonated. Neil, a Corporal in the Royal Signals, had to have both of his legs amputated above the knee and was told he would probably never walk again.