A Basildon pupil turned soldier has told how he cradled a dying man horribly disfigured by an explosive in Kosovo.
Trooper Rob Hayden wrote to his former teacher, Steve Nash, at Barstable School to relate his horrific experiences in the war zone.
He told how he was forced to witness people dying from devastating injuries caused by bombs, grenades and mines.
Rob, 21, wrote: "I saw my first dead body. We were running after a soldier into a house and the house had not been cleaned of explosives. The soldiers opened the front door and boom, there was a booby trap.
"I ran to help a man. Half his face was missing and a lump of wood from the door was in his neck, which was bleeding badly.
"I sat next to him as he spoke Serbian to me but all I could make out was 'sorry' and 'help me'.
"I looked up to see where the medic was and when I looked down he had died."
In the letter Rob explains how his regiment moved into the Kosovan capital Pristina for two days while it was secured before going on Podjevo, a town on the Serb border.
His troop had responsibility for two Serb villages, Slivo and Gracanca, and while travelling the soldiers saw field upon field of dead sheep and cows, killed by mines.
Rob added: "At night rounds fired into the air make us sleep with on eye open. Bosnia was bad but not like this."
He signed off by saying he could not wait to come home, was looking forward to his leave at the end of August and craved a cold beer.
Rob signed up for the Army after leaving Barstable School, in Timberlog Close, Basildon, five years ago.
Steve Nash, who taught him, said: "Rob only ever wanted to go into the Army and has worked very hard to do so.
"He has the distinction of falling off his horse and breaking his arm when the Queen came round to inspect the troops."
"Rob has always kept in regular touch with us and comes in to talk to the kids when he's in this country. They learn a lot from him."
On parade - Rob Hayden, pictured while in the Household Cavalry
Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article