The most senior Army officer injured in Afghanistan has stressed the importance of the Poppy Appeal ahead of Sunday’s Remembrance services.

Lt Col David Richmond, commanding officer with the Canterbury-based Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was badly injured in the leg by an insurgent’s bullet in Helmand Province and is still undergoing extensive rehabilitation.

His battalion has just returned home from Afghanistan.

“A lot of the injuries guys sustain now, be it very severe ones with amputees or serious head injuries, or even the less severe, they will need treatment for the rest of their lives,” he said.

Audio: hear more from Lt Col Richmond >>>

Since his return, Lt Col Richmond has been treated at specialist military units at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, Headley Court Defence Rehabilitation Unit in Epsom, Surrey and the Northern General in Sheffield.

He has a metal brace fitted to his right leg to aid bone growth around the wound and walks with crutches.

He added: “With the number of casualties we’ve sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan in the last four or five years, money is as important as it ever has been.

“The Second World War veterans are still there, but there’s an increasing number of veterans from more modern campaigns who will need that care and support, so I would urge people to give as generously as they can to any of these service charities.”