Geoff Robinson Photography

Former soldier helped by Will

PIC BY ADAM REEVE/GEOFF ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY 07976 880732.

Picture shows the rescue of Jim Schembri on March 22nd near Wisbech,Cambs,after he had an accident in a tree.Mr Schembri (on stretcher)was helped by Prince William (2nd right) and the crew of the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

A former soldier has described how Prince William held his head and exchanged “military banter” with him for half an hour after he was knocked unconscious by a tree branch.

Jim Schembri didn’t know the Duke of Cambridge had come to his rescue when he suffered a nasty accident at work on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old, who used to serve in the Light Infantry, joked that he didn’t want William flying him to hospital in the air ambulance before realising he was already looking after him.

“I remember the helicopter landing and the doctor talking to me and someone was supporting my head,” said Jim.

“He asked me if I was a bootneck as he had spotted a Royal Marines charity band on my arm. Then he said ‘you’ve got an ex-army air corp working on you.

“I still didn’t twig that it was Prince William and we joked around, exchanging military banter for about half an hour.

“When they loaded me into the helicopter I said ‘William had better not be flying this’ and he said ‘I’ve been holding your head for the last half an hour.’ I was totally shocked.”

Jim, who has been a tree surgeon for 14 years, had been working in a garden in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, when the accident happened.
SEE COPY CATCHLINE Former soldier helped by Will

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PIC BY ADAM REEVE/GEOFF ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY 07976 880732.<br />
<br />
Picture shows the rescue of Jim Schembri on March 22nd near Wisbech,Cambs,after he had an accident in a tree.Mr Schembri (on stretcher)was helped by Prince William (2nd right) and the crew of the East Anglian Air Ambulance.<br />
<br />
A former soldier has described how Prince William held his head and exchanged “military banter” with him for half an hour after he was knocked unconscious by a tree branch.<br />
<br />
Jim Schembri didn’t know the Duke of Cambridge had come to his rescue when he suffered a nasty accident at work on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
The 37-year-old, who used to serve in the Light Infantry, joked that he didn’t want William flying him to hospital in the air ambulance before realising he was already looking after him.<br />
<br />
“I remember the helicopter landing and the doctor talking to me and someone was supporting my head,” said Jim.<br />
<br />
“He asked me if I was a bootneck as he had spotted a Royal Marines charity band on my arm. Then he said ‘you’ve got an ex-army air corp working on you.<br />
<br />
“I still didn’t twig that it was Prince William and we joked around, exchanging military banter for about half an hour.<br />
<br />
“When they loaded me into the helicopter I said ‘William had better not be flying this’ and he said ‘I’ve been holding your head for the last half an hour.’ I was totally shocked.”<br />
<br />
Jim, who has been a tree surgeon for 14 years, had been working in a garden in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, when the accident happened.<br />
SEE COPY CATCHLINE Former soldier helped by Will