Reporter Harry Booth joined the 1st Royal Yorkshire Regiment on operation in Kosovo. During his visit, he spoke to soldiers from Bradford and Keighley about their time in the army.

The 1st Royal Yorkshire Regiment is here in Kosovo as part of a NATO operation, during the six week period, they have been assisting local police and military in operations along the northern Administrative Boundary Line (ABL), which separates Kosovo from Serbia.

Two soldiers, one from Bradford - the other Keighley, spoke about their experiences in both the army and Kosovo.

The soldiers were Joshua Hull, 22, from Undercliffe, and Joss McArthur, 23, from Keighley.

"I didn't have any qualifications so I joined the army, it sets you up well for life," Joshua said.

A sign warning people of the approach to the ABL (Image: Harry Booth)

Joss added: "I thought about it for a while when I was younger but the idea faded away, but by the time I turned 18 I thought it was time to do what I wanted to do."

Both Josh and Joss are members of the Quebec Company. Soldiers in Quebec specialise in "support", which often means long covert missions. In Quebec, soldiers utilise a range of weapons such as sniper rifles, tank weaponry, and mortars or missile launchers.

Joss is a member of the mortar platoon who specialises in searching and patrolling terrain.

Speaking on the travel he's done with the army, Josh said: "It's good to get out, it's better than being stuck in camp.

On patrol with the Quebec Company (Image: Harry Booth)

"Travel was a factor in joining, it's made a huge impact."

Joss added: "I started my career off in Cyprus, got sent out to Afghanistan. I've then been to Germany, Oman and now Kosovo."

"I didn't really want to be something like a joiner or an electrician, I wanted to try something different. I didn't know what it was going to be like when I joined, but it's been different."

Looking back on his five-year career, Joss said: "Aspects of it are different, you think we'd be out all the time travelling but there's not much going on in the world so it's nice to be out here in Kosovo.

Inside Camp Bondsteel, where the regiment was staying (Image: Harry Booth)

"Here in the camp you know what's going on, which can get boring, but when you're out there on a job it's interesting, that's what we're here to do.

"It's definitely been worth it joining the army. Where I got brought up you definitely weren't funnelled into a career, so this has been a great start to my life.

Josh added: "There's a lot of kids like us from Bradford and Keighley that don't have a lot going on, but this has set us up for life."