Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT), Sergeant Chantelle Taylor, Royal Army Medical Corps, 2008 (c)

Velcro and plastic tourniquet. From a medical kitbag belonging to Lance Sergeant Chantelle Taylor, Royal Army Medical Corps who served in Afghanistan.

Sergeant Chantelle Taylor completed two tours of Afghanistan. The first was in 2006 when she served at the Base Hospital in Camp Bastion, regularly working 12 hour shifts. Her second tour was in 2008. She was based at Laskar Gah and then at a Forward Operating Base in Marjah.

Taylor was travelling with a convoy when they were attacked near Marjah. Taylor returned fire, becoming the first female British soldier to kill an enemy in combat.

The Combat Application Tourniquet can be wound up one-handed around an injured limb, preventing blood loss and allowing soldiers to save their own lives immediately following injury. It was used by British forces during Operation HERRICK, Afghanistan (2002-2014).