AMPUTEES added extra realism to medical training for paratroopers by posing as casualties.

A company from the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment took part in exercise blue triage in Colchester's Friday Woods which aimed to practise treating casualties at the point of wounding.

Using amputees helped to add a sense of urgency to the training which was party aimed at simulating a mortar attack on a village.

Troops had to move casualties into cover, assess and give initial treatment which included applying tourniquets to stop bleeding.

Section commander corporal Luke Jones, 27, has deployed on two tours of Afghanistan.

He said: "Based on my experiences on operations, this is the most realistic medical training I’ve ever had.

"For junior soldiers to have done this means that, if they deploy on an operation and have to deal with real casualties, it will be less of a shock and they’ll be better prepared.”

Private Neil Graham, 23, has been with 2 PARA for five months.

He said: “My first reaction to seeing the casualties was bewilderment.

“The amputees and the simulated injuries made it feel very real, but then the training kicks in and you just get on and do the medical drills you’ve been taught.”

2 PARA medic sergeant Ben Stewart, 31 organised the exercise.

He said: “This is about training soldiers to give lifesaving treatment at the point of injury, so we’re working on stopping catastrophic bleeds and clearing airways.

“Having amputees as casualties is the nearest we can get to replicating real combat injuries.

"A lot of the junior soldiers won’t ever have seen anything like this and the initial reaction is shock at what’s in front of them.

"I’ve been impressed with how quickly they all got past that and delivered the treatment in the field that they’ve been taught in the classroom.”