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.

The operation was a success but as they made their way back to the helicopter, a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at them which tore off his left arm and part of his leg. Despite this, Jaco was able to continue firing his gun at the enemy.

"It was when I was trying to hold my rifle in the correct position that I realised something didn’t feel right," he told The Mirror.

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"Where my left arm should have been there was just empty space. Although I understood at once that I had lost my arm, the only thing I wanted was to be able to return fire.

"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.

By the time he reached an American field hospital, Jaco had less than a pint of blood in his body. His heart stopped twice during surgery, but his fitness levels helped him survive.

After making a remarkable recovery, Jaco went on to compete at the Invictus and Paralympic games. Being confined to a wheelchair after his ordeal, he vowed to walk again, and did.

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