The father of teenage soldier Chris Kershaw, who was killed in Afghanistan, has spoken for the first time about his son on the morning his gravestone was set in place.

Standing beside the new stone memorial in Holy Trinity Church graveyard, Idle, yesterday, Brian Kershaw told movingly of this final episode in a long farewell to 19-year-old Chris.

“I’ve not seen it before this morning. This is the first time. It’s a lovely bit of stone,” Mr Kershaw said.

It bears his own tribute to Private Kershaw, who died along with five comrades when their Warrior armoured vehicle was blown up in March.

Beneath his name, rank and age are carved the words: “A Yorkshire boy who became a Yorkshire man. Gone but never forgotten”.

Mr Kershaw said it had been hard to find a simple phrase to sum up his son.

“It took a long time sitting down and thinking to come up with something that was actually Chris,” he said. “I didn’t want it to be sloppy, just straightforward and true, which it is.

“He was a lovely boy who loved Yorkshire and he grew up to be a great man.”

He said it was fitting that Chris should have returned to Idle, where he lived with his dad and partner Sharon Woods.

“Chris had been living with us for about two and a half years and spent all his time in Idle where he had so many friends,” said Miss Woods, 47.

“If he wasn’t over at Thornbury TA barracks where he was a sergeant in the Army Cadets, then he was out running round the local streets to keep fit or round at his mates,” she said.

“I’ve never known someone to have so many friends or to have touched so many hearts.”

Mr Kershaw, 46, said his son had many sides to his character.

“Although he liked to appear tough, he had a very caring side to his nature and lots of his friends have commented on how much he helped them in different ways.”

Mr Kershaw also told how he and Sharon had played an active part in Chris’s military career with 3 Yorks.

“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.”