FALKLANDS war hero Lance Corporal Les Standish was just 21-years-old when received the Military Medal for his actions during the bitter and bloody fighting during the Falklands War.

And every year at this time Mr Standish says he is "back there" ­— in particular at the Battle of Goose Green in which he fought and for which he received the medal for ­— as he continues to struggle to make sense of the war, which claimed the lives of his friends.

Now determined to get something positive out of the conflict, Mr Standish is trying to build links between schools in Bolton and schools in Argentina.

And yesterday, on the eve of the 37th anniversary of the Argentinian invasion of the islands, Mr Standish spoke to schoolchildren at San Miguel School in Argentina about the war and the human cost on both sides in a Skype session.

It was facilitated by Argentinian Alejandro Vidlea, who Mr Standish held prisoner during the conflict, and 20 years became friends through a chance meeting on a website for war veterans.

They stay in touch regularly and in 2002, Mr Vidlea was flown over to Bolton, where he laid a wreath in honour of all those who died in the Falklands War.

Schoolchildren quizzed Mr Standish about his thoughts on the conflict, including the ownership of the Falkland Islands

He said: "We were soldiers and we were told to do a job and we went to the Falklands to do the job we were told to do as soldiers.

"You think you own the Falklands, British people live on the Falklands, I don't want to get involved in politics, how long British people lived there how long they have been farming there, it is politics."

He added: "I was on honeymoon when I was called to go to the Falklands, my family was very worried that I would get killed I was one of the lucky ones that came home."

Mr Standish also told the children he thought the war was unnecessary.

Speaking to The Bolton News, Mr Standish said: "I just think the situation could have been resolved politically ­— to be honest but you know when you see your friends dead on the floor you think it's just an island that nobody knew anything about, why were we there."

"They (Argentinians) look at it completely different to what we do, they consider it their island because of the positioning of it but its British, we did a job that we had to do.

"I was 21, I was in charge of eight blokes, I was responsible for eight lives.

"It's not what happened 37 years ago it is what happens now that's important, if we can get two schools together that would just be brilliant."

Mr Standish believes the Falklands War is becoming the forgotten war, whereas in Argentina today is a public holiday to remember those who had fought in the war.

He is now urging schools will come forward to establish links with schools in Argentina where pupils learn about each others culture and language.

Mr Standish believes such a link could give hope for the future.

Talking about this time of year, he said: "May 28 is a pretty bad for me, it's not the victory it's the people who did not come home.

"I'm there, I'm back on the island going through the war."

Any school wishing to get involved should email saiqa.chaudhari@nqnw.co.uk