Private Darren Ord, 20, from Thirsk is on his first tour of Afghanistan. He is attached to the Royal Artillery as the postie, which sometimes he visits Forward Operating Bases on the ground to deliver post.

Darren said little things in the post make people happy, like the camera his grandmother sent him to record what this part of his life is like.

When he comes back in October, the former player in the Thirsk Falcons 1st team is looking forward to watching and playing football.

Gunner Jamie Bannister from Harrogate had just got back to Camp Bastion after working with the Australian and Danish armies at a Forward Operating Base call FOB Budwan.

The gunner for the 4th Royal Artillery provided fire support to troops doing basic security, making sure the locals aren't under Taliban rule and that farmers are getting paid properly.

“We've been taking a lot of indirect fire, hiding under buildings and keeping our heads down. I’ve been shot at quite a few times.”

It’s his second tour of Afghanistan, and he has been shot at before. He says it helps some of the younger lads who get worried to look up to people who've had experience of how to react.

“My dad is ex-forces and he went through it in the Falklands. I knew that I would haveto go away and make sacrifices, and if I need to make the ultimate sacrifice then I will.”

Jamie had his 21st birthday in Afghanistan and is looking forward to being reunited with girlfriend Sophie Johnston who he lives with in Harrogate. He is returning from his tour a couple of weeks early to attend a course which will see him promoted to Lance Bombardier.

Sergeant Adam Porter of the 4th Royal Artillery was blown out of his vehicle when it hit an improvised explosive device (IED) a couple of weeks ago.

The 30-year-old, who attended Tadcaster Grammar School while his father served at Topcliffe and Church Fenton, was unharmed although it has affected his hearing. He said he asks himself everyday why he’s in the army when he has his wife Claire and two-year-old daughter Olivia Rose waiting for him back home.

“I don't know why I love the job. I love the people I work with. In any job you have your bad days and get fed up, and when I joined up I knew exactly what I was getting into. From the age of six I’ve never wanted to do anything else.”

He says serving gives him a sense of pride. “People don't understand what we do out here. I'm doing it for security back home to fight the Taliban out here so they can't bring it onto our territories.

“My wife Claire is very supportive. I can't lie to her with the media and things like Facebook. I started off by telling her everything's where it should be.”