An infantryman has been battling the harsh weather and terrain of the Falkland Islands during a two-month tour as part of the British Forces South Atlantic Mission.

Private Joseph Buck, 27, of Keighley, who serves with Germany-based A Company 1st Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, is part of the British Army’s permanent presence on the Islands.

The former Oakbank School student has conducted beach patrols, taken part in the islands’ quick reaction force and helped local farmers.

Pte Buck, who joined the Army in 2008 and has also served in Iraq, said: “I think the patrols are really important in terms of defending the islands and reassuring the locals.

“They are also exactly the kind of preparation we need for Afghanistan where patrols will be a big part of our work.

“It might not be quite as warm here, but the skills you use, in terms of searching for signs of anything that shouldn’t be there, and guarding your colleagues’ backs, are the same. We always have to be alert and ready to deal with any situation.

“The Falklands is a very remote part of the world. I went to Goose Green on a battlefield study tour and it was freezing cold. It really makes you appreciate what those guys in 1982 went through. It is hard grafting – but that’s why we are here, to be toughened up and to prepare for Afghanistan.”

British infantry companies take up the six-week post on rotation, joining more than 1,000 military personnel on the operation which has existed since 1982 – the end of the Falklands conflict.