UPDATE 27 JANUARY 2011.  

 

Our Team website detailing our cycling exploits is available at -

http://www.felixend2end.giving.officelive.com/

Thank you to Magaret and everyone at New Cample Farm Shop who collected money for us at a concert that they organised.  Dave T and myself picked up a cheque last week for an amazing £900.  The artists who performed at the concert were Jamie McClennan and Emily Smith.  Emily is now on tour and please visit her website:  Thank you both for your time and generosity.

FELIX END 2 END

LANDS END TO JOHN O’GROATS BIKE RIDE CHALLENGE 2010

 Introduction 

 We feel that it is important that you understand why we are conducting this cycle ride; the  British Limbless Ex Service Men's Association (BLESMA) is the main charity that supports members of the Armed Forces who have sustained injuries whilst serving. BLESMA support the injured whilst they are still serving and also once they have left the Armed Forces. BLESMA is the primary source of support for members of the Armed Forces who then have to leave the services due to the extent of their injuries. 

What most people don’t realise is that Help for Heroes helps greatly whilst the soldier is still serving however doesn’t assist soldiers once they have left the Armed Forces.

 

The cyclists conducting the ride were part of a Royal Logistic Corps Improvised Explosive Device (more commonly known as roadside bombs) Disposal team (IEDD) in Helmand province, Afghanistan. They were unfortunately involved in an incident whilst rendering safe an explosive device placed by the Taleban on a route that was needed for movement by troops and civilians.

 

The incident occurred in the summer of 2009 on Operation HERRICK 10 and changed a number of people’s lives; no longer would they and their families ever be the same. They were all part of IEDD team 5 and involved in an explosion whilst dealing with a suspected IED. The explosion injured four of the five team members, two seriously. The injured soldiers were immediately evacuated to Camp Bastion where they received further medical care before being flown back to the UK for treatment at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham.

 

The four injured soldiers: Cpl Rich McKinnon, Cpl Jonny Wallace, LCpl James Marsh and LCpl DaveTimmins all received the best possible medical treatment throughout the patient pathway process from the battlefield to Camp Bastion and finally Selly Oak.

 

Nowhere in the world would you find a better standard of trauma care than at Selly Oak; they routinely make the impossible possible, and with the fortitude of the soldiers themselves along with the medical staff and support services they can rightly be proud of a very difficult job well done.

 

The cycle ride is not just a good idea borne out of good intentions by a bunch of ‘squaddies’, it is part of a journey that the soldiers are still going through that will hopefully assist them in coming to terms with their experiences and help them overcome their injuries.

 

The Team

 

 

 

The team carrying out the End 2 End ride consists of 6 members, the five members of IEDD 5, Capt Wayne Owers, Cpl Rich McKinnon, Cpl Johnny Wallace, LCpl Dave Timmins and LCpl James Marsh and me the Casualty Visiting Officer – Capt Pete Graham. 

 

 To enable you to understand what the team have gone through so far and what the cycle ride means to them I asked them each to write a paragraph.  The below paragraphs have been written in their own words.

 

 

 

Firstly the EOD Operator –

 

 

 

 Wayne Owers

 

 

 

Having qualified 'foolishly' as a High Threat IED Operator at the tail end of my military career I deployed in Mar 09 for 6 months as a battlefield casualty replacement to Helmand.  This meant that I straddled Op HERRICK 9 & 10. 
 
The summer was without doubt the most challenging ever experienced by British Forces and undoubtedly the most torrid in respect to the sustained asymmetric fighting style of our enemy.  Op HERRICK 10 saw 1700 EOD incidents and my team conducted 107 tasks rendering safe 93 IEDs (Trigger quotes 60ish but I had a different team before these boys deployed).  It is common knowledge that most UK military casualties are as a result of IED explosions; our continued drive to find and render safe these devices meant that we were providing a safer environment for the wider force to operate in.  Afghanistan is by far the most dangerous place on earth in terms of 'personal danger' from enemy tactics but coupled with the rugged and extremely arduous terrain and the blistering elements which often reach 50 degrees C, meant survival was a constant battle.  The risks presented by such a battle were multiplied many times over by the very nature of our business.  Gallows humour and 'Haribo' sweets helped whittle away the days.  Our team were subjected to intimate explosions from IEDs on two separate occasions with comrades losing limbs and suffering various other life changing injuries.  Close coupled team work ensured all our casualties survived which was a miracle given the circumstances and the extent of some of their injuries. 
 
This Bike challenge has been inspired by our continued team work which has moved on from the battlefield of Helmand to the green fields of the UK where our comrades are undergoing various medical operations and bouts of rehabilitation in order to progress their condition to a point where they can enjoy life to the full commensurate with their 'repairs'.  This charity event will further highlight the plight of such soldiers who often go unnoticed and any funds raised will help them significantly during their long term rehabilitation.  

 

Rich McKinnon

 

 

 

My name is Richard McKinnon and I am twenty one years old, I have been in the army for three years serving as a qualified ammunition technician and I have recently returned from my first operational tour. Over the summer I worked as part of a four man IEDD team (bomb disposal team) in Helmand province in Afghanistan, we helped dispose of over 60 devices in the 4 months that we were on operations.

 

The temperatures were blisteringly hot and when you combine that with the weight we had to carry on our backs, which was at times unbearable, and the distances we had to cover, this made our jobs all the harder. The team had a very strong focus; we were there to stop the enemy from hurting the soldiers and locals around us as well as to allow other operations to continue without hindrance. A full tour is supposed to last around 6 months with ours ending in early October, however in late July our team was hit by one of the devices which we went out to stop, the team had to be transported back to the UK for medical care with some members still recovering to this day. Our situation is sadly not an uncommon one with soldiers constantly being struck by IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), it is because of this we have decided to try and raise money by completing a cycle ride from Lands End to John O Groats, any sponsorship or assistance would be greatly appreciated and will go a long way in helping those who have been injured as a result of this campaign.

 

David Timmins

 

On April this year (09) I, LCpl Timmins Deployed on Op' Herrick10 as part of an IEDD Team (improvised explosive device disposal) - IEDD Team 5. Our four man team worked alongside REST 5- (Royal Engineers search team). The last elements of our team came from various NCOs’ from WIS- (Weapons intelligence specialists). Together we were known as The Famous Five.

 

To say our team was close would be a massive understatement. We ate together, slept at the same place at the same time, always knew were each other would be at any time of day or night. We shared experiences both good and bad that are unique to ourselves.  Sadly in life there are some stories told but not finished that you guess the ending. As I write this, I am in Headley Court rehabilitation Unit recovering from serious injuries alongside other Soldiers from Famous Five. Unfortunately we were involved in two explosions within a short period of time. Both blasts resulted in multiple casualties. I can only say we were unlucky yet extremely lucky at the same time... We never lost anybody although the injuries sustained were complex and life threatening. The quick reactions and medical skills of our teams on both occasions saved lives.

 

 Our daily routine of being tasked to dispose of these deadly devices carried a great risk of losing limbs or life. The experiences we have been through together would sound far fetched or be dismissed as, elaborations by most people. It is sharing those experiences that have brought us so close... Mates for life!

 

 Knowing our team would be together for "one last task" (cycling from Lands End to John o Groats), would be brilliant for all of us. Even more so, knowing that any money raised would help other injured Soldiers would be outstanding.

 

 Jonny Wallace

 

 My name is Jonathan Wallace and I am currently serving with Weapons Intelligence Specialist Company (WIS Coy).  This was my second operational tour of Afghanistan as a WIS operator, and as part of CIED TF Helmand I was attached to the IEDD teams which were located in BG (N) operating from FOB JACKSON in Sangin with 2 Rifles.

 

 As a Royal Military Policeman my job entails the collection of component parts of the IED (once safe!)

 

 As British Forces in Afghanistan suffered 108 fatalities in 2009 of which approximately 80% were caused by Improvised Explosive Devices.  

 

 Our team was involved in two explosions and we sustained multiple casualties in both explosions, due to the quick reactions and skills of the team resulted in the casualties remaining as just that casualties and not fatalities.  6 months later and rehabilitation is currently an ongoing process for all involved not just the physical casualties but also the mental scars of what I can say were the two of the worst days of my life.  Having been through such traumatic experiences we share that common ground and have made a bond for life, we may not talk to each other everyday but each and everyone of us knows we can call on each other whenever, wherever.

 

We worked as a close team in Afghanistan and we would like to continue in that vain to raise vital funds for what is a cause close to our hearts. 

This bike ride would present a challenge to each of us normally but for some, including me it presents an even larger challenge due to the injuries sustained as a result of the explosion.

 

 James Marsh

 

I am James Marsh and whilst being in the military as an Electronic Warfare Systems Operator I have been attached to 11 EOD REGT for four years. During this time I deployed to Afghanistan and was part of an IEDD team and whilst there we encountered many explosive devices deployed by insurgents and successfully as a team we went and cleared them so that operations, patrols and re-supply routes could be used again.
Unfortunately not all devices are found safely and as a team we would be deployed to clear and investigate these areas, they proved very hard to deal with and have left memories engraved into the minds of the team members.
As you can imagine we go to these jobs exposing ourselves to great danger and harm, as a result of dealing in excess of 60 devices and being there for four months we sustained heavy casualties and now have men left with life changing injuries and disabilities. Of the roughly 13 team members that where there 8 members where affected and most of us had to be returned to the UK due to the severity of the damage sustained.

Any donations that you kindly donate to this charity would be greatly appreciated and would help those that have been affected by their campaign in Afghanistan.
Completing this bike ride from Lands End to John O Groats for the charity would be a huge step for us in coming back strong mentally and getting to feeling proud for what we have achieved when the rehabilitation process is going to be very hard for a lot of us including myself as this is no small achievement for any person even if they where 100% fit and healthy before hand!

 

 

 

Pete Graham

You are probably wondering were I fit in on all this?  Well I acted as the Casualty Visiting Officer for Dave Timmins, I assisted in supporting his family once he had been casevaced to Selly Oak.  I then visited the rest of the team daily for the following weeks whilst they were at Selly Oak. 

I can honestly say that the whole experience of being involved in the rehabilitation process has been a humbling one, I am have nothing but the utmost respect for the medical staff at both Selly Oak and Headley Court.  And as for the soldiers who have been injured they just amaze me in the way that they conduct themselves and the way that they all pull together to move forward with their lives.

One group of people that are sometimes forgotten by the public during this process, are the families of the soldiers who are injured, they have to deal daily with the ups and downs that their loved ones experience and provide support to them in their darkest hours.  They all deserve our thanks for helping them along their road to recovery.

There is no pun intended with respect to the venture that the team will be attempting this summer!

When I first mentioned the cycle ride to the team just before Christmas they all responded in such as positive way that I have no qualms that the team will succeed. 

I am sure that the experiences of Afghanistan that brought them together as a team in the most testing of conditions will mean that they will complete the ride and reach the target that we have set for rasing money for BLESMA.  I just hope I can keep up with them! 

 

Finally the situation that the soldiers find themselves in while serving in Afghanistan is a very difficult one as they are dealing with life and death on a daily basis. All soldiers who deploy are extremely well motivated, however the team that are conducting the cycle ride are I believe extra special as they are the ones, who due to the nature of their jobs, make life not just a lot safer for the other troops on the ground but also the Afghanistan civilians caught up in the fighting.

 

 

 

I hope you see fit to support our cause in some way as BLESMA needs to raise nearly two million pounds a year to carry out its aim and just as a finishing paragraph I thought I would re-iterate how BLESMA helps members of the Armed Forces.

 

                                                                                                                                          

 

BLESMA is the national charity for limbless serving and ex service men and women and their dependants and widows.

 

It is the charity that directly supports all our service men and women who lose limbs, the use of limbs or eyes or the sight of an eye in the service of our country and we are with them all whenever we are needed for the rest of their lives. Our work starts with rehabilitation - proving that there is life after amputation. Our work is about amputee helping amputee - the fellowship of shared experience. Our work is about life long welfare support, about campaigning for what they deserve and about being there when old injuries come back to haunt. Our youngest Member is 19 and our oldest is 99 - Truly we are BLESMA for Life.