12:10pm – The military ambulance escort arrives at QE Hospital; the total journey takes 24 minutes. Chief Inspector Blakeman, said: “VIP escorts are an area of police work that many people are perhaps unaware of…and there can be few people more worthy of VIP treatment than our armed forces personnel. Society owes these young men and women a huge debt; we are very proud to do our bit.” A POLICE convoy transfers an injured war hero through Birmingham's streets – the latest armed forces casualty taken under West Midlands Police escort for specialist care at the city's military hospital. Troops critically injured during hostilities in Afghanistan are flown to Birmingham Airport for treatment at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in QE Hospital. They are among the most seriously hurt servicemen for whom rapid access to expert medical attention is essential – which is why police escort is crucial to cut through traffic and ensure a swift, safe transfer. The latest ‘repatriation’ flight arrived at Birmingham International on Friday (April 12) – and today we’re releasing a series of images showing that operation from the runway to QE Hospital as it happened in real-time. The social media photo special starts at 10:57am – the time police traffic patrols and armed officers received a final brief last week ahead of the military plane’s airport touchdown. It continues with images showing police and medical staff on the tarmac preparing to move the injured patient – a 21-year-old army man – to a waiting ambulance under the watchful eye of firearms officers. The convoy is shown leaving the airport at 11:42am led, flanked and trailed by traffic unit support including five police bikers, before making its way along the A45, Pershore Road and Bristol Road to the QE’s military hospital at 12:10pm. Images will be uploaded to the force's Flickr account and linked to via @WMPolice. West Midlands Police Chief Inspector Kerry Blakeman led the operation. He said: “VIP escorts are an area of police work that many people are perhaps unaware of…and there can be few people more worthy of VIP treatment than our armed forces personnel. Society owes these young men and women a huge debt; we are very proud to do our bit. “Sadly we’ve been called to do many of these military casualty escorts since the repatriation flights started landing in Birmingham around a decade ago. The troops brought here are seriously injured – the rapid police escorts allow them to receive first class, specialist care as soon as possible. “They are very visual events, lots of blue lights and a sizeable police presence, so I imagine they leave many people wondering what all the fuss is about. “This ‘real-time’ photo series shows how we prepare for such landings and work with our partners to ensure patients are transferred swiftly and safely to hospital for specialist treatment.” The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) at QE Hospital opened in 2001. Squadron Leader Jo Clarke is based there – and she described the escorts as “vital” to ensure injured servicemen and women receive swift critical care treatment. She added: “Armed service personnel treated here are critically ill which is why transferring them quickly, without hold-up is vital. “Planes bringing in injured troops land at all times of day and, during rush hour, the journey could take a couple of hours. Thanks to the police escorts though, and the understanding of road users, that’s reduced to around 20 minutes – and with patients like this every minute counts.” Chief Insp Blakeman had this advice for any motorists who encounter a military hospital police escort. “The police vehicle will be trying to make progress through the traffic so try not to panic and, if you can, pull over to the nearside when it’s safe to do so. “It’s important that drivers don’t see the blue lights and simply stop in the lane they’re travelling as that can block the escort’s path. “We appreciate everyone’s understanding and patience during these operations; drivers are usually only inconvenienced for a matter of minutes which is a small price to pay considering the sacrifices our servicemen are making in Afghanistan.”