HUNDREDS of people gathered in York to welcome back military medics who had battled to save lives and treat life-changing injuries in Afghanistan.

Members of the UK Medical Group 20 – which include 34 Field Hospital based in Strensall, York – returned from Afghanistan last month where they closed down the famous field hospital at Camp Bastion.

Their recent deployments have seen them operating in what is widely viewed as the leading trauma centre in the world, treating up to 250 trauma casualties a week from a range of nationalities.

On Saturday (November 22) crowds lined the streets in York to applaud the personnel as they marched through the city's streets.

More than 200 medics from the 65 units in all three armed forces attended a thanksgiving service in York Minster.

Following the service, the military medics and hundreds of onlookers were addressed at Duncombe Place by Lieutenant Colonel Jaish Mahan, who commanded the UK Medical Group and 34 Field Hospital and the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Ian Gillies.

The medics were inspected by the Lord Mayor Director General of the Army Medical Services, Major General Jeremy Rowan OBE QHS and 80 Operational Service medals were presented

Lt Col Maham said it had been both hugely rewarding and challenging for those who were part of it.

He said: “Rewarding and challenging for the same reasons because it involves people and some people’s lives have been changed forever by their injuries and experiences.”

Lt Col Mahan said in the last few years they had also mentored and developed a trauma hospital in Helmand for the Afghan National Army, which he said was an incredible achievement and legacy for the medical group and the country.