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Baptism of fire as paratrooper joined hero 'H'

3/ 4/2007

PARATROOPER Dean Harris had only recently passed out and was on his way to Belize.

But as the Falklands conflict blew up the 18-year-old and his comrades found their ship being diverted to the South Atlantic.

He eventually found himself involved in one of the war's key battles alongside one of its most memorable heroes.

First he was among the 5,000 troops which established a bridgehead at San Carlos.

As well as the fighting he also had to contend with a sharp change in climate - after suffering sunstroke in the tropics he was hit by freezing rain and biting winds.

Dean, from Raneley Grove, Kirkholt, was then involved in the battle to recapture Goose Green airfield at the end of May under the command of Colonel H Jones.

He said: "He was one of the best. He often came down into the trenches to talk to us. He was just like one of the lads."

Dean said he was nervous in the minutes before the attack on the airfield. He continued: "It was frightening going in, but morale was very high.

"Once you start moving, all the training comes in and you act by instinct."

They retook Goose Green, but at the cost of their legendary leader.

Although not wounded in the attack Dean suffered frostbite in his fingers and toes and had to be flown back to Britain via Uruguay.

There were fears a toe may have to be amputated but he was eventually given the all-clear, although parachuting was out for a year.

After two weeks at home Dean was raring to get back to his unit, though the Argentines had surrendered a few days before.

He said: "It was a relief to hear the ceasefire. All my mates are still out there.

"My friends are all right. Only one man from my unit was killed."

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