The grieving mum of a Bradford soldier killed in the deadliest single enemy attack on UK forces in Afghanistan said her son’s memory should live on through the Yorkshire regiment, following strong suggestions his former battalion faces the axe.

Monica Kershaw said it would be a “huge shame” to lose the historic 3 Yorks battalion, in which her brave 19-year-old son Private Chris Kershaw served until he became the youngest of six troops who died when their armoured vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED).

She spoke exclusively to the Telegraph & Argus after Defence Secretary Philip Hammond confirmed that the Army will soon be scaled back from 102,000 to 82,000 amid huge across-the-board cuts to public spending.

His fellow Tory MP Patrick Mercer said yesterday that there were strong indications that The Yorkshire Regiment, which recruits heavily in Bradford district, would lose its 3rd battalion.

Mrs Kershaw, of Farm Hill Road, Eccleshill, Bradford, said: “I want the memory of my son, Chris, to carry on through the Yorkshire Regiment.

“It is part of him and the other lads and it would be a huge shame if they cut it back.”

Mr Mercer, who served as a colonel, said his information came from the “well inform-ed grapevine” inside the Ministry of Defence. Mr Mercer said it was a “sad day” when the armed forces faced cuts.

Mr Mercer said in a television interview that it seemed “highly likely that the Yorkshire Regiment which currently has three battalions would lose its third battalion”.

However, the MoD said the comments were “speculation and no final decisions have been made”.

At his funeral last month, family, friends and servicemen who gathered at Holy Trinity Church in Idle were told how Pte Kershaw spoke of fulfilling his “dream job” in a message delivered to his father, Brian Kershaw, 45, after his death.

The former pupil of Hanson School died along with five of his comrades in Helmand Province on March 6.

e-mail: marc.meneaud@telegraphandargus.co.uk