Mirfield soldier Jonathan Kilner arrives back from Afghanistan: Interview

Nov 7 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

In temperatures that could reach 50°C, off-duty time was about cooling down.

“You’d put your shorts and flip flops on and jump in the stream and just sit about for a bit,” he said.

“There’s no TV or internet, just radio.”

After arriving back at RAF Brize Norton, the troops were greeted by friends and family at Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster, Wiltshire.

Pte Kilner, whose father David was there to welcome him home, is now looking forward to taking some time out and going on holiday to the Canary Islands before his next assignment.

Speaking after returning to Britain, Lieutenant Colonel Tom Vallings, Commanding Officer of 3 Yorks, said: “We had soldiers embedded with all the battlegroups across the whole of Helmand.

“Straight away they were doing their duty, taking the fight to the Taliban and were involved in serious contacts and patrolling right from the beginning.

“Their contribution to those battlegroups has been immense, I’m amazed how quickly a Battalion can apply themselves in a can-do approach and fit into another unit, get straight out on the ground and deliver the effect that’s required. It is quite humbling.”