Dave Watson: Preston war veteran who lost both legs and an arm in Afghanistan bomb blast to celebrate with ‘Boom Day’

Dave Watson, 36, was on foot patrol in Helmand Province and was wading through a stream when he stepped on a hidden device that tore off both his legs and an arm on May 27 2010. Despite suffering life-changing injuries that almost killed him, May 27 is not only a day he survived, but it also led to him meeting the love of his life at a charity event - his wife, Becky, 40, with whom he has two daughters, Erin and Paige, and a stepson, Josh. He celebrates this day every year and he calls it "Boom Day”.

He said: “The days leading up to it I think about the guys I served with and the ones we lost along the way, but it is not a day I am bitter about, that’s just not me. I celebrate May 27 every year because if it hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have my wife and children, so we go out and do fun things and enjoy being together.”

This year, the celebrations for will be quieter than usual, as Dave is recovering from recent surgery, but a fundraising event is being held to mark the occasion. As a keen angler, he is Ambassador of Hooked for Heroes - a group which holds regular match fishing events whilst raising thousands of pounds for Help for Heroes.

Well-wishers are being encouraged to donate £1 through Hooked for Heroes for the charity which has just launched The Veterans War campaign to raise awareness that when a conflict ends, the battles for some don’t – they just stop making the headlines!

Dave, who is originally from Preston and now lives in Romsley, Worcestershire, was following in his grandad’s brother’s footsteps and fulfilling a lifelong ambition when he joined the Scots Guards in 2007. He was three-and-a-half months into a seven-month deployment in Afghanistan when the horrific event happened.

“I could hear the guys telling me not to look down”

He said: “I was on foot patrol in Helmand Province and we waded through a stream. My mate behind me slipped and as I turned to help him, I stepped on something. I heard a click. The next

thing I knew I was being dragged out and I could hear the guys telling me not to look down.” The bomb Dave had stepped on had torn off both legs and an arm. He added: “All that was left were my

shin bones and my kneecaps. I could feel pins and needles in my arm and when I looked, the skin had separated from the bone. My arm was dangling, held on by its tendons, and I knew straight away that I’d lost it.” Dave was pulled to safety but died– and was resuscitated - three times on the helicopter as it flew to a nearby hospital. But within weeks he began walking on prosthetic limbs and just a year later he competed in his first Invictus Games, winning a gold medal in discus and a bronze in shot put – a year after that he claimed two more golds. He added: “If I hadn’t been in the military and I hadn’t been blown up, I wouldn’t have won the medals I’ve won. I wouldn’t have met my wife at a charity event, I wouldn’t have my kids. Everything happens for a reason.”

To donate to visit Dave’s Boom Day fundraiser.