As a soldier in The Rifles, I have seen firsthand what a charity such as Care for Casualties can do for injured soldiers.

The Rifles have seen almost continuous action in Iraq and Afghanistan.  This commitment has come at a cost.  In 5 years we have seen over 60 Riflemen Killed in Action, around 30 have lost limbs, 2 Riflemen who have been fully blinded and 2 are in neurological  units and will remain there for the rest of their lives.  Our very seriously injured are aged between 18 and 26 and have many years of active life ahead of them.  We have approximately 300 other soldiers with serious injuries and the psychological problems that we are warned of have yet to manifest themselves.  Our Battalions continue to deploy to Afghanistan and the need for our help from their regimental family will continue for many years to come.

Riflemen have volunteered to risk their lives and limbs on behalf of others; we need to do all we can to support them and show our appreciation for their courage and sacrifice.

So dig deep people!

Cpl Graham Francombe AKA "Big G"