Father of teenage soldier killed in Afghanistan a year ago writes open letter about his grief (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Brian Kershaw remembers 19-year-old son Private Christopher Kershaw

7:00am Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News By Chris Tate, T&A Reporter

The father of teenage soldier Christopher Kershaw – killed in Afghanistan a year ago today – has written an emotional open letter about his year of grief for his dead son.

Private Kershaw, 19, died along with five comrades when their Warrior armoured vehicle was blown up by a bomb planted by the Taliban about 25 miles north of the capital of Helmand province, Lashkar Gah, on March 6, 2012.

He is buried in Idle, where he spent most of his teenage years and on the gravestone in Holy Trinity Church are carved the words: “A Yorkshire boy who became a Yorkshire man. Gone but never forgotten”.

An army cadet based at Thornbury barracks, he made himself super-fit by running round the streets where he lived, then fulfilled his ambition to join the 3rd Yorks Regiment.

On the day his gravestone was put in place last November, his father, Brian Kershaw, told how he and fiancee Sharon Woods had supported Christopher’s decision to join up.

He saaid at the time: “We both went to his passing in and passing out ceremonies at Catterick and also to all the parents’ day events.

“He was so proud to show us around and excited by everything he was doing.

“And as it says on his stone, we will never forget him,” said Mr Kershaw, 46.

On the anniversary of his son’s death, Mr Kershaw, has written a heartbreaking eulogy for his son, which he asked the Telegraph & Argus to print in full.

e-mail: chris.tate@telegraphandargus.co.uk

 

Remembering Christopher

 

It has been a year since I lost my son and not a day has gone by without me thinking of him.
I remember that knock on the door and the numbness that followed, finding out my son had been killed, in action, in Afghanistan.
I wake sometimes and hope it was just a dream but it isn’t, it is real.
I will never see him, hear him or get the chance to talk to him again which is very hard to deal with, even now.
That is why I am so glad of my memories and how precious they are to me.
The support I have had from my fiancée, family, army and his numerous friends has been fabulous.
I don’t think I could have got through this far without them.
I knew Christopher was popular but even I was astounded by how many hearts he actually touched and how many people he had helped throughout his 19 years.
Thank you to every one of you.
He will always be loved and most definitely will never be forgotten.
His memory will live on in our hearts forever.
Fortune Favours The Brave. RIP Pte Kershaw 05.05.92 – 06.03.12.
Love, Dad