Wounded soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq could soon find themselves refused charitable help due to a lack of cash to cope with the high casualty rates, it has been warned.

The Army Benevolent Fund said that the ongoing campaigns and the Government's failure to adequately care for gravely injured veterans returning home means its coffers are severely depleted.

The historical welfare fund, which helped to start up Help for Heroes and provides grants to smaller charities such as Combat Stress and Soldiers Sailors and Airmen Families Association, has launched a £5m public appeal for funds.

Without them, it may have to stop grants and reign in the help it offers soldiers to pay bills, buy equipment or retrain for civilian careers, or to look after their families if they die.

With advances in battlefield medicine, more critically injured soldiers are returning home now than ever before but the nature of their injuries means they need extra support.

Figures compiled by the Royal Army Medical Corps show that from the start of the campaign in Afghanistan in 2001 until mid-February this year, 114 personnel were seriously or very seriously injured, 1,133 were admitted to field hospitals and 880 were evacuated to Britain.

In Iraq, 212 were seriously or very seriously injured, 2,695 were admitted to field hospitals and 1,347 were evacuated to Britain.

The Controller of the ABF, Major General Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter, said that once soldiers are discharged from the Army, they are often forgotten.

"We are looking over the hill and it's a worrying sight," he said. "My fear is that the continuing stream of casualties, from Afghanistan in particular, will place an even greater call on our war chest than I envisaged. "There is the physical need we know about now, but there are also the mental scars that we do not yet know about and may not arise for some time.

"One of the men we look after is a Household Cavalry Regiment Lance Corporal who has suffered 70 per cent burns - the Falklands veteran Simon Weston had 40 per cent burns. He will depend on charities like ours for his care in the future. The aim is to build up the fund so we don't let anyone down."

During the Falklands war, a similar appeal saw the public donate £11.5 million for returning veterans, while £3.5m was raised during the first Gulf War.

But after the Iraq invasion, the public came up with just £300,000 to look after veterans - a reflection, charities said, of the wavering public support for the conflict.

"We can look after Falklands Veterans with the greatest of ease because of that public help, but anything to do with the Iraq conflict was a big turn-off," said Sir Evelyn.

"I think there is now much more of an understanding that it is not the soldiers' fault that we were in a place we should not have been. They serve their country no matter what. I am hopeful that public donations will reflect that."

* To donate to the Current Operations Fund, go to www.armybenfund.org or call 0845 241 4828

Another fallacy of the "we support the soldiers, not the war" crowd.

Let's pray that any wounded soldier is cared for properly even if it means that care will be required for the rest of his life.

I think a government that sends its soldiers to war without the equipment, training & care he may need is bull$h!t & any citizen who doesn't support his countrymen warriors should be branded a traitor no matter what cause he's fighting for.

I've seen my own privileges as a veteran & a retiree dwindle throughout the years but I'd rather have mine cut than any warrior that requires care. It's unconscionable to send someone to war & withhold any medical treatments he may need.

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Proud Dad of a US Army Ranger SSG-Former 3/75 Rangers, 2/334-95 USAR at present
US Navy 1960-1966 Submarine Service, Navy Diver-UDT 21
US Army 1980-2001 Airborne Infantry,G3, Army Instructor, Commo Instructor Company 1SG
Retired 1SG/MSG
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

Sad, that you ask a person to give their life, and when they only give their body, it becomes inconvenient to look after them.

These people should never have to concern themselves with anything. Ever. Period. For what they gave.

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Humans, a renewable resource?
Bumble Bees Die to sting you

Its very upsetting but ever since I can remember, We've taken them for granted (any conflict). I think its shocking that the Government don't step in and launch an awareness campaign. Majority of the British public know the difference between an unpopular conflict and a soldier doing his job, They are seperate issues. They've got no balls this lot in power, I'm disgusted with them!

Seems a western trend.

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Humans, a renewable resource?
Bumble Bees Die to sting you

Our goverments stance in most cases is pretty disgusting at present

As I said before its PC gone mad...we are so worried about what the other twats think we have forgotton to look after our own

Isnt it lucky squaddies dont give a **** either way....we do our jobs and are honoured to...no matter

I think this goverment think they can brush it under the carpert... I think they think if they dont talk about it and dont pay it the attention it needs it will go away(its pretty awful to be honest)but as Tex has said it seems its been that while for a very long time

Look soldiers are going to get injured thats the way it is.....If I was injured in combat(touch wood it would never happen) but its a possibility.. thats the busniess

I should be given the surport by the goverment/country I fought for to recover from my injuries... and if I cant recover and are left with them for the rest of my life I should be helped to make the best life for myself I can....Families shouldnt have to take all of the slack

However there isnt much coverage though on the ones who are given the surport ..but there are to many cases where the right surport isnt given.....such is life...it was going on before these current conflicts.....As CS says...Western trates

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Hi Ho Hi Ho

Well Said Glenn!!...

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"Barrel High, Powder Dry!"

"Illic est haud effrego ex Veneratio"

nothing but respect.

we weep with proper respect.

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Its quite simple to support your army but not the war. In fact it woould be grossly negligant not to support your army if indeed one did not support the war in which it was fighting. There is absolutely no conflict of interest. I don't support the Iraq deployment and have never heard one convincing arguement to support its case and if I didn't condemn it I would indeed not be supporting the rank and file of the British army who have been badly let down by the British government

Here, here.

Supporting a shiite war...is to not support the troops.

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Humans, a renewable resource?
Bumble Bees Die to sting you