Servicemen from Blandford Camp are among 30 soldiers carrying a stretcher, symbolising injured comrades, 300 miles from Plymouth to the Tower of London. The gruelling march, completed in six-hour stints by teams of 10, is to raise cash for the Help for Heroes charity.Injured soldiers from Headley Court - the MoD rehabilitation centre in Surrey - are taking part in the five-day trek. They include hero marine Ben McBean, who kicked off the gruelling march on Monday. Ben, aged 21, who lost an arm and a leg in Afghanistan, was praised by Prince Harry when the young Royal returned from operational duty in the troubled region earlier this year. The group is scheduled to arrive in London on Saturday.
An MoD spokesman explained: "The chosen route takes the soldiers along the old admiralty shutter telegraph route used over 200 years ago during the Napoleonic War. The 30 hilltops en route used to house the old shutter telegraph system. The stretcher is draped with a union flag and a scroll containing a roll of honour of personnel injured in Iraq and Afghanistan."
The march, started with a gun salute, finishes with a black tie function organised by Help for Heroes with music from the band of the Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry. To donate, log on to helpforheroes.org.uk.