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Prince William and Prince Harry visit Headley Court as Patrons of the City Salute Appeal

21st April 2008

Prince William and Prince Harry visited injured servicemen at Defence Medical Services Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court in Surrey today as Joint Royal Patrons of the City Salute Appeal.

The City Salute Appeal was launched in March this year and aims to celebrate and support the United Kingdom’s armed forces and their families.

The appeal will raise money for Headley Court to help fund a new swimming pool and sports complex for physiotherapy, and family accommodation for relatives of servicemen and women undergoing treatment.

Headley Court already has a small heated hydrotherapy pool but servicemen and women who benefit from the regular exercise that swimming provides must use a pool in nearby Leatherhead.

Help For Heroes and the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) will also benefit from money raised by the City Salute Appeal.

During the visit to Headley Court today, Prince Harry met with one of the injured servicemen who shared his return flight from his tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Marine Ben McBean, 21, lost an arm and a leg when a mine exploded during a patrol in the country. He was flown back to the UK for medical treatment at the same time as Prince Harry returned home.

The younger prince also met Marine Mark Ormrod, with whom he trained before deploying to Afghanistan.

The 24-year-old, who lost an arm and both his legs when he stepped on a mine during a routine foot patrol, says that the Prince recognised him from their time in training together.

He said: "They're quite down-to-earth which you wouldn't really expect. They asked me all about my family and my injury."

He said that Harry's experience on the field of battle made a big difference when he was meeting fellow service people.

"He's been out there and he's seen and done it. They are both quite involved and they don't just sit on the sidelines. It makes a difference to us rather than having someone who hasn't experienced it, it makes them more genuine."

Marine Ormrod's injuries were exacerbated by a Chinese rocket which insurgents had fixed to the explosive device. He was injured on Christmas Eve 2007, and has spent nine weeks at Headley Court.

Although he will not be able to return to the front line he does hope to stay with his unit 40 Command which is based in Taunton and says that he's currently hoping for a job in administration.

"The support of people back home matters a lot more now since I've been injured. You can be told that the public support the troops but you don't really believe it until you see thousands of people turn out for a parade."

After a short briefing session from Wing Commander Steve Beaumont, the commanding Officer at Headley Court, Prince William and Prince Harry took a 30-minute private tour of the upper wards of the centre, where the servicemen and women who needs the most intensive care are housed.

They later returned to a reception with staff and patients where they met several injured servicemen.

The Princes also met Lance Sergeant Adam Ball, 23, stationed with 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in Aldershot. He lost a leg when he stepped on an explosive device in Afghanistan eight months ago and has spent the last six months at Headley Court.

He said: "I'm happy that the princes have come today, it's good that they come and show an interest in what we are doing and see how we are getting on.

"With Harry having done it himself he knows the ins and outs and it's more like banter, talking to an Officer maybe, than talking to a royal."

Both Princes were keen to quiz staff about developments since their last visit, which they made in a private capacity in 2007.

Click here to visit the City Salute Appeal website.