SIXTH formers learnt about the harsh realities of war when they got the chance to meet a veteran whose horrific experience has become the subject of a film.

Members of the CCF from Monmouth School and its sibling, Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls, gathered to watch war film Kajaki: The True Story recently.

The harrowing scenes tell the story of seven paratroopers, including Corporal Stuart Hale, who found themselves seriously wounded and marooned in the middle of a minefield, fighting for their lives in September 2006.

Following the film screening at Monmouth School’s Blake Theatre, pupils were given the opportunity to ask Cpl Hale all about the traumatic event, and hear his inspirational story of survival and eventual return to Afghanistan.

The father-of-two, who was 24 at the time of his injury, now lives in Monmouth and runs the Pegasus Hobbies and Games shop in Thomas Square.

“I hope the film shows the strength of character in the Army,” added Cpl Hale.

“You always hear about these things happening to your friends, but when it’s happening to you, and you’re staring at this bloody mess, it’s hard to believe.

“But everyone from the story has gone on to do something good since that day.”

One pupil asked Cpl Hale what it was like to go through losing his leg.

“The fear of the pain was worse than the actual pain itself,” he told them.

“I was taken to Bastion where they did the operation and woke up eight days later in Selly Oak hospital, Birmingham.

The dark sense of humour shared by soldiers helped Cpl Hale and his comrades to get through the hellish experience.

“When the guys came to see me in hospital, they tossed me a copy of Runner’s Weekly,” he said.

“That was what I needed in that situation.

“We take the mickey out of everything, nothing’s off limits.”

The pupils were fascinated by Cpl Hale’s brave decision to return to Kajaki two years later to help with a voluntary operation.

“When I went back to Afghanistan I got a lot of suspicious looks from people,” he told them.

“I wanted to be an example to say ‘look, if the worse should happen, you can still come back and do this’.

Ian Lawrence, chemistry teacher and CCF officer at Monmouth School, was an infantry officer serving with the Royal Welsh Regiment and left as a major. 

He served in Kabul twice, where he was a mentor responsible for developing an Afghan brigadier and more recently the spokesman for 10,000 British troops deployed in Task Force Helmand. 

A cheque for £80 was presented to Cpl Hale from the Schools’ CCF to go towards the Afghanistan Trust which helps servicemen rehabilitate themselves.