A BUILDERS merchant will swap the shop floor for a tank when he heads to Afghanistan in early October.

Territorial Army soldier Mat Cocklin will leave his day job as a builders merchants’ manager to spend six months in Helmand Province.

The 36-year-old will deploy to the country, on his first operational tour, to support the British military mission.

Trooper Cocklin combines his civilian job with being a member of D (DLOY) Squadron The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry.

The unit is based at the Territorial Army unit in Wigan, which trains its soldiers as loaders and gunners for the British Army’s main battle tank, Challenger 2.

Tpr Cocklin, who is from Westhoughton, is one of four soldiers for D (DLOY) sqn RMLY to be mobilised for duty in Afghanistan.

He is currently training in Paderborn, Germany, before deploying with 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards.

Tpr Cocklin will be sent to a forward operating base in the south of Helmand Province He said: “I am looking forward to operating in a hostile environment and to the challenges that brings. I will be with the Commanding Officer’s ‘rover’ group which is a big responsibility.

“It is an opportunity to put into practice the training I have received. Personal commitments have prevented me joining the Regular Army, being in the TA offers me the best of both worlds.”

1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards will provide specialist Royal Armoured Corps support to the three Commando Brigade mission.

Its soldiers will take control of a range of vehicles, including the heavily-armoured six-by-six-wheel drive Mastiff patrol vehicle and the new Jackal.

It is a big year for Tpr Cocklin who was chosen to take part in a special “TA100” parade at Horse Guards, London, in front of HRH The Prince of Wales earlier this year, to celebrate the TA’s centenary.

Tpr Cocklin joined the RMLY squadron in 1996.

After spells serving in the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers he re-joined the Wigan yeomanry squadron in 2004.

cherry.thomas@theboltonnews.co.uk