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thedrifter
05-15-08, 08:13 AM
Marines who lost legs step up to collect service medals
Paul Lewis
Article history
The Guardian, Thursday May 15 2008 Article history

Two Royal Marines from Plymouth who lost legs in Afghanistan yesterday walked across a military parade ground to collect their service medals in front of thousands of supporters.

Helped by their prosthetic limbs, Mark Ormrod, 24, who lost both legs and his right arm, and Ben McBean, 21, who lost a leg and an arm, drew huge cheers as they declined to use their wheelchairs and walked 30 metres across the parade ground to join some 700 colleagues from 40 Commando during a ceremony at Norton Manor Camp in Taunton, Somerset.

The unit lost three men during its six-month tour of duty - Lt John Thornton, 23, and Marine David Marsh, 22, in a car bomb blast in March, and Cpl Damian Mulverhill in February.

After the parade McBean, who received his injuries in a landmine blast in Helmand in March, said it had been "the proudest [day] of my life".

Ormrod's terrible injuries came after he stepped on a mine on Christmas Eve while serving in Helmand province. He said that collecting his medal was "the driving force" during three months of training to use new bionic legs unaided.

"It was awesome," he said. "It was one of the biggest targets I had set myself - and to be walking for this has been such an achievement. I really had to work hard to receive my medal."

Marines from 40 Commando took on the responsibility for Battle Group North in Afghanistan's Helmand province from last year until April, operating from forward bases in the Gereshk and Sangin valleys. They conducted numerous operations, including the taking of Musa Qala, a centre of Taliban resistance.

Addressing the troops, the second sea lord, Vice Admiral Adrian Johns, congratulated the men on their successful tour, paying tribute to the 25 wounded in action. "It's great to see 40 Commando together again in such strength and even more encouraging to see so many family and friends here," he said.

"It's really important to get you back together, share those war stories and enjoy the success that this company has achieved."

But he added: "Success is not free and it does not come easy, there is a price to pay. I met some of the wounded this morning who are on a long road to recovery in rehabilitation."

The two marines have struck up a friendship with Prince Harry, who they recently met. "We speak all the time, often about completely random things," said McBean. "There have been email messages and he wished me luck for today."

Ellie