A heartbroken family have paid tribute to a former soldier who took his own life following a lengthy battle with PTSD and depression.

Dad-of-five Michael Munday, from Canterbury, tragically died earlier this week, aged 38.

His eldest daughter, Rebecca Cavanagh, 20, says her father will be remembered as a “good, kind man” who would “do anything to help everyone else”.

“He’d come home late at night because he’d have stayed out giving someone a lift or whatever - he was so good like that,” she said.

“He was loud, so out there; everyone laughed at his jokes, everyone knew who he was because he was so funny and he knew how to get you laughing.

“When he was happy, he was so happy; he was comical - he was absolutely nuts.”

Mr Munday, who grew up in Rochdale, enlisted in the Army in 2000 and three years later had his first child, Rebecca, with his teenage sweetheart, Stacey.

They went on to have four more children - Mason, 18, Lydia 14, Andrew, three, and one-year-old Matthew.

Rebecca says her dad’s death on Monday evening has devastated the entire family.

“It’s been hard; Matthew and Andrew keep asking for him,” she said.

“But he’s part of us, he always will be, and we’ve got to remind the younger two just how good Dad was.

“He loved us all so much; he was brilliant, funny, amazing, and we want to keep his spirit alive.”

Mr Munday completed tours of Afghanistan, Cyprus and Northern Ireland with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, before leaving the Army in 2010.

The family relocated to Canterbury in 2012 to be closer to Mr Munday’s mother, but as the years passed he began to suffer the effects of PTSD, anxiety and depression.

Rebecca says her father’s time in the military took a heavy toll on him.

“When he left the Army it took about 10 years for him to actually realise the damage it had done,” said the former Spires Academy pupil.

“It caused a lot of anger, which he never used to have; it caused a lot of mental health problems.

“He was depressed, he had anxiety, he felt lonely, like he wasn’t loved. It was like he’d changed, it was like he was angry at the world.

“It was horrible to see him that way - I’d never seen him that way before.”

Despite her dad’s struggles later in life, Rebecca says there were many happy years.

Her eldest brother, Mason, remembers fondly riding motorbikes with his father, who since a young age had enjoyed a passion for anything with wheels and an engine.

Rebecca says life with her dad was never quiet, and their house was always the noisiest on the street.

“He didn’t like the quiet,” she said. “Our house has never been quiet - he loved a loud environment.

“He also loved fixing things - anything with an engine. He loved doing that sort of thing; he’d buy them, fix them and sell them.

“He’d take us off-roading in his jeep, we’d go down the golf course. He loved motorbikes - he got my brother out on them fixing them and painting them.

“One year we went sledging and our puppy had done a wee in the snow - Mason was going to pick it up and I’ll never forget the way Dad said ‘don’t eat yellow snow’.

“He loved spending time with us kids and he always knew how to make us laugh and make a good memory.”

Because of his love of motorcycles, Rebecca hopes to give her father a fitting send-off he would have loved.

Earlier this week she appealed on Facebook for bikers to line the streets ahead for “one last ride” ahead of his funeral, which has yet to be arranged.

Rebecca says reaction to the post has been “amazing”, with loads of people volunteering their support.

“We want to create a bit of hassle,” she confessed.

“Not in a bad way, but we want to make some noise, give him that one last bike ride.

“It’s been absolutely amazing. Loads of people have come forward to say they’ll be there - we didn’t know he had so many friends.

“For us the big thing is showing him this one last time how many people did love him and care for him.

“He was clearly so loved - more than any of us ever really knew.”

Anyone wishing to make a contribution to the funeral fund can do so at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-give-my-dad-the-best-send-of-possible

And for anyone struggling with their mental health, or who knows someone who is, Rebecca’s message is clear.

“We always checked up on Dad but he hid it so well,” she said.

“Please check on them no matter what - it’s always the loudest who are struggling the most.”

For confidential support on an emotional issue, call Samaritans on 116 123 at any time.