War hero who went on to achieve Paralympic glory recalls the moment he lost his arm in Taliban attack
A war hero has recalled the moment he lost his left arm in a Taliban attack in Afghanistan. Jaco van Gass, who lives in Sale with his wife, was on his second tour of the country in August 2009 when he and his team from the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment, were dispatched by helicopter to capture the head of a Taliban terror cell.
"I let off a few loose bullets, not really aiming anywhere apart from the general direction of the enemy, the rifle jammed against my hip." His fellow Paras came to his aid and bullets ricocheted off the helicopter as they made their escape. In April 2011 he joined the 13-day Walking With the Wounded expedition, and met Prince Harry along the way. Jaco's then learned to climb with a pickaxe fitted to his left upper arm, and continued extraordinary feats of endurance.
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