AN AFGHANISTAN veteran has spoken about her experiences serving in a warzone ahead of the unveiling of a memorial to the fallen in London next week.

Laura Carey, who is the team leader with the Royal British Legion’s pop-in centre in Regent Street joined the Army at the tender age of 18 and served in the Royal Corps of Signals.

The 30-year-old spent four months in Afghanistan in 2010 in a life-changing experience as a troop commander.

Speaking ahead of the opening of a memorial to Afghanistan, Iraq and Gulf War armed forces she said the tour presented challenges but was also a privilege.

Laura said: “It was difficult and challenging at times. But at the same time it was such an honour and a privilege to be there, I felt very proud to be there and I enjoyed being out there.

“There were scenes of death, of devastation but you had to put it aside and carry on with the job you were supposed to do. It was only afterwards that you realised the enormity of what had happened.

“You were always so busy you didn’t have time to worry as much as you could. You just had to get on with it and do your job as best you could.

“I wanted to get away from my home town and I wanted something which was going to fill me with excitement. I wanted to impress my family, but I also kind of wanted to shock them. I wanted the adventure and the Army promised that.”

When Laura had son Alexander, now five, she decided to leave the military to focus on motherhood.

Laura is married to Jon, who is a Major serving with the Royal Corps of Signals. The couple met in the cook house when Laura was training.

She said the memorial was an integral part of remembering those who had bravely fought in warzones.

“I feel it is so important to have the memorial, to those that have made the ultimate sacrifice.

“It supports our message of remembering those who served, and also those that lived on and their families that are struggling as a result

“This job was such a great opportunity because I can relate to other veterans, I’ve been through it so I can use my experiences to help and understand what they have been through.

The memorial honours both the UK Armed Forces and civilians who served in the Gulf region, Iraq and Afghanistan, from 1990-2015.

It will be unveiled in the capital’s Victoria Embankment Gardens on March 9 with the Queen in attendance.