AS thousands of people prepare to honour those lost in wars at Remembrance services across East Lancashire, one soldier has told how the Royal British Legion helped him after being wounded in battle.

Sapper Sam Taylor, of Accrington, was discharged from 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) after being shot in the back by a sniper in Afghanistan.

He has told how by contacting the Legion, he was able to access appropriate compensation to carry on with his life.

Every week, the Royal British Legion spends £1.6 million delivering welfare support, help and advice to the Armed Forces community, with the annual Poppy Appeal contributing millions towards that amount.

In October 2010, Spr Taylor, a former pupil of Mount Carmel High School, was heping to build a new vehicle entry point in Afghanistan when he was shot.

He was dragged into an armoured vehicle where his comrades compressed the wound until the emergency response team arrived.

He was then flown to Camp Bastion and on to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where doctors explained he was lucky to be alive.

Following the injury, although he could still use his hand to write with, he could barely lift his arm, the pain relief had little effect and he struggled to take part in routine training exercises.

His condition didn’t improve and he chose to be discharged earlier this year instead of accepting a desk job within the Army, bringing a six-year career to an end.

After being compensated by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, Spr Taylor felt the award didn’t match the severity of his condition or compensate for the difficulties he would face.

After contacting the Legion for advice and going to a tribunal, his injury was deemed so severe that his Guaranteed Income Payment was increased by 150 per cent and the lump sum compensation was increased by over 300 per cent.

Spr Taylor said he could now come to terms with his injury and the limitations he faced.

He said: “The Legion has been a fantastic support to me.

“Without the Legion’s help I honestly don’t think I would have had much success with my appeal as I didn’t really understand much about it or what I should do.

“Doctors have told me I will never fully regain the use of my arm.

“When I first signed up, I had hoped to stay in the Army for 12 years, but my career was cut short after six.

“I then had dreams of joining the fire service but that won’t happen now as I will never be fit enough for that.”