Senior Aircraftman Jon Butterworth lost part of his left arm in an attack at Basra Airfield in Iraq last year.

He returned to work at RAF Cottesmore for the first time this month and will embark on the 342 mile journey on Monday.

SAC Butterworth was driving to work at Basra Airfield at 6.30am on August 4, 2007 when a warning siren sounded. Four rockets were fired and the impact of the blast lifted his body off the ground but he was unaware of his injuries.

He said: "I thought, 'That was really close' and when I went to dust myself down I realised – I saw the artery was exposed."

The blast had taken away a chunk of his left arm. Army personnel nearby rushed to help and their swift actions saved his life.

SAC Butterworth (22) was taken to a field hospital where surgeons fought to save his arm and his life. He was conscious the whole time.

When he phoned his 21-year-old wife Chantel at home in Cottesmore with their two-year-old daughter Rae-Alexis she was just glad to hear his voice.

Jon has now learnt to use a prosthetic arm and has been snowboarding since his injury. He has also bought a specially adapted motorbike and is considering sky diving.

He said: "It's all down to fate. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can't do some of the things I used to enjoy but I now do different things."

He will join the Big Battlefield Bike Ride on Monday to raise money for Help For Heroes, cycling from Caen in France and finishing on June 1 at the Cenotaph in London.

His left arm now has metal prongs where a hand used to be and he cannot do much with it. His old job as an armourer required heavy lifting and delicate work so he now has a desk job.

To sponsor Jon visit www.justgiving.com/jonallanbutterworth1 or send cheques made out to Help For Heroes to Jon Butterworth, RAF Cottesmore, Cottesmore, Rutland, LE15 7BL.