A FORMER soldier has dedicated his 2025-released autobiography to his former friend and brother-in-arms, who was killed in the Falklands War.

Shaun Nelson, originally from Macclesfield, who now lives in Kent, released his book “From Fear to Paradise” in memory of Chris Jones, a Sapper from Cinderford.

The pair served an apprenticeship together at Chepstow’s Army Apprentice College in 1978. Shaun was an apprentice carpenter and joiner, while Chris was an apprentice bricklayer.

The Regiment the two joined had many roles and required the use of artisan tradesmen, including bridge building and construction.

Later, Shaun was sent to Northern Ireland, while Chris was deployed to the Falklands, where he sadly lost his life aged 19.

Shaun said: “Chris made me value life and become a success.

“Chris was the guy I was opposite in the Barracks and he was lively and likeable. When we left the junior Army and went to a regular unit in 1982, Chris was down the Falklands and I was in Bandit Country, South Armagh in Northern Ireland.

“The news came through that Chris had been killed. It was awful at the time and painful. I myself had a near death experience there and death didn't frighten me.

“I lived a full life and Chris didn't. The book allowed me to heal in a cathartic way, although the guilt never goes away.”

Shaun was prompted to write the book to show the transition you can make from the military into business, utilising the skills you acquire.

He said the book offers a healing process for those who live with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as he does. Shaun calls it corporate healing; a creative mind is a calm mind.

The book is the story of his life, which begins with Shaun’s humble beginnings and continues through his experiences in the military, the Corps of Royal Engineers, the Metropolitan Police, and finally in the corporate sector.

Shaun’s story starts in poverty and leads to island paradise in Barbados. Throughout his life, he saw military service in counter terrorism and encountered many dangerous situations. His time with the Metropolitan Police was shortened through an injury which inadvertently took him into the corporate world whereupon he built an enterprise.

However, ultimately, the book is about keeping the memory of his friend alive, and this is shown in the first line.

The book’s title “From Fear to Paradise” sums up Shaun’s journey. He invested in a small villa in Barbados through his success in business. Life for Shaun in Barbados is simple, and this is paradise now. However, Shaun suffers with psoriasis on the skin, due to PTSD, and continues to struggle with survivor’s guilt.

The most memorable section from his book for Shaun is how he achieved success in the corporate world, utilising new technology such as the internet in 1995, turning a £500 investment into a nearly one million pound turnover company. The journey it took him on was a total contrast as to what he said was expected.

You can find a copy of the Kindle ebook on Amazon.