Abstract: A compression assembly for a medical tourniquet comprises a strap, a windlass and a buckle assembly and employs a retainer which retains the windlass upon rotation to apply pressure to a limb. The retainer has a pair of C-shaped portions which retain the windlass and a cross piece which is captured by a mounting strip. The buckle assembly preferably comprises a pair of parallel bars, one of which mounts a clasp which engageably retains a D-shaped ring. The strap is pulled through the D-shaped ring and secured in a taut engagement about a limb. The tourniquet is cooperatively configured so that only a relatively small additional rotation of the windlass is typically required to apply the final occluding pressure.