A WAR veteran has recounted his days as an 18-year-old serving in the Falklands War.

Kevin Porter was a courageous youngster when he joined the Royal Navy, aged just 16.

The former Millom Comprehensive School pupil soon found himself up to his neck in blood, guts and glory in a war no-one expected.

Mr Porter, now 53, said: "The people of Millom were so supportive while I was in the Falklands.

"Strangers would stop my parents in the street and ask them how I was. There were whip-rounds and Red Cross parcels. There was even a little parcel of fruit pastilles sent by a pair of five-year-olds with a little note.

"All of that was a great comfort for me. I was an 18-year-old. It was not what I wanted at that age and it became a big shock."

Mr Porter's former neighbours arranged a street party for his return to the county, with flags, bunting, sandwiches and cakes.

The opportunity to travel, as well as gaining a good career, attracted Mr Porter to the Navy, where he worked as a tactical radio operator aboard HMS Fearless .

His role involved providing radio communication and hand-held signals and signal flares amid bombs and machine-gun fire.

HMS Fearless was an assault ship from which troops disembarked in the San Carlos Bay operation.

With reflections from his own personal diary from the time, Mr Porter has written an emotionally-charged and honest view of the war through a youngster's eyes.

His book, Fearless , depicts the emotion of leaving his home town in south Cumbria, the traumatic terror of war, and his long-awaited, triumphant return.

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He said: "Before leaving home, my dad gave me a book to write a diary of events.

"It was his one regret of his army days not keeping a journal to reflect on what happened to him throughout his career in the Royal Artillery.

"It has been a painful but therapeutic journey for me, recounting and sharing stories with fellow shipmates who have helped and contributed to the book.

"We were fighting the same war, but had different views and experiences."

The book also follows the 18-year-old as he battled mental health issues upon his homecoming.

He said: "It is emotional to talk about, but I think it is important that people do talk about it. Otherwise it eats away at you like a cancer.

"It's important to get things out of the system, and it lets people realise what war is about.

"I remember being onboard Fearless the first day and I went to the toilet and just sat there and prayed.

"The book leads into my decline from a local hero to embarrassment as I quickly sank into the dark space of PTSD, anxiety and depression and how it affected me and my family."

The book also has a foreword by the captain of HMS Fearless at the time.

Rear Admiral Jeremy Larken DSO said: "This is an extraordinary story about an extraordinary war. I cannot read Kevin's story without emotion.

"Having been involved in many of the same events, Kevin reawakens vivid recollections buried deep in my memory.

"He and I, among many of our comrades, shared unique experiences which certainly changed our lives.

"Reading Kevin's account reminds me that the nearest and dearest of many of us suffered indirect penalties after the war following what we had experienced."

He will join Mr Porter to launch the book in his hometown later this month.

The pair will host a book signing and talk about their experiences on June 15 at the Clock Tower.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the war between Argentina and the UK.

April 2 1982: Argentine troops invade the Falklands.

April 5: First task force ships leave Britain.

April 25: British forces recapture South Georgia.

May 2: General Belgrano is sunk by HMS Conqueror .

May 4: HMS Sheffield is hit by Exocet missile.

May 23: HMS Antelope is hit and sunk.

June 1: Five infantry brigade land at San Carlos

June 13/14: Tumbledown taken by British troops. Argentina surrender.

June 25: British governor Rex Hunt returns to Stanley.