Investment consultant Adam Cocks swapped his City office for Afghanistan after he signed up with the Territorial Army. During his tour of duty the 25-year-old saw two of his friends die and escaped with his life from landmines and a suicide bomber.

Here, he tells Naomi Loomes his remarkable story.

Sixteen months ago Adam Cocks was a successful investment consultant in London.

While he was there he volunteered to undergo intensive training with the Territorial Army so he could take a sabbatical and go to Afghanistan as a trooper.

He left for the tour of duty in October last year. Within three months he had seen two friends die and had himself suffered horrific injuries in two landmine blasts.

Adam, who grew up near Haywards Heath and went to Worth School, at Turners Hill, near Crawley, had always had a passion for the military.

He was chosen to be sponsorsed by the RAF before he went to university.

He said: “Even though I was working in the City I decided to take the Territorial Army up on the opportunity to train for the Honourable Artillery Company.

“I left for training, with my job still open to me for when I got back. The tests and challenges were very tough but eventually I graduated to become a reconnaissance soldier and was on the road to Afghanistan.

“When we left for Afghanistan we flew into Kandahar. I felt excited but nervous. I was leaving behind my family and girlfriend for the unknown.

“The first things that strike you in Afghanistan is the dryness and the intense heat.

“We were taken to a British camp called Camp Bastion before setting off on our reconnaissance mission.

“I had my first encounter with a suicide bomber in the town of Gereshk.

“My friends and I were travelling in convoy when a Toyota Corolla approached suddenly. Thankfully one of our men shot the driver but not before the explosives were detonated.

“From then on my fear was never bullets, even though I was shot at many times, it was mines. We have little defence against suicide bombers and mines, and they are everywhere.

“Weeks later we began planning a major operation in Musa-qala in southern Afghanistan and had to cross a dry river bed. As we crossed the vehicle in front of us was blown up with my friend of three years, Jack Sadler, on board. He died instantly.

“I felt shaken by his death but also knew I had to continue the task.

“We slept in sleeping bags next to our wagons at night and because one of us must always be on watch we were not allowed to sleep for longer than five hours at any one time.

“I was able to speak to my girlfriend, Helen, once every four days for about ten minutes. She sent me and other servicemen packages and was my lifeline to the real world.

“After Jack died and the Musaqala operation was finished we set up camp in a village to try and integrate with the locals. We arrived at 8am and got to work. At around 3pm that afternoon I drove my wagon out of the field and after no more than two metres we hit a mine.

“After the initial explosion I couldn’t hear a thing. Then I felt like I was in a fairground. The voice of my friend Danny filtered in. He was saying, ‘Cocksy, Cocksy are you OK?’ I felt down my legs to check they were still there then we both clambered out although Danny’s leg had snapped in half.

“I couldn’t believe that we had been walking over it all day and had camped right next to it.

“We needed to get medical attention so my friend, Daz, drove us up to high ground.

“This time I had learnt to stand on my seat so it blows you upwards rather than trapping you.

“Moments later we hit another mine and this time I flew out of the vehicle. The front of my wagon had disappeared, as had our driver Daz, who was killed instantly.

“Shrapnel had scarred my face and I had fractured my knee in several places but on the whole I was extremely lucky. I was flown home three days later.

“But it was when I got home and was put in Headley Court Army Rehabilitation Centre in Surrey that I was humbled by the courage of servicemen. Being at Headley was one of the most important parts of the whole experience.

“It was then I realised what it was to be alive and when I realised how crucial the place would be for all those people who will inevitably be injured in the future.”

Adam has spent the past seven months organising a high-profile charity rugby match to raise £1 million for the centre.

The money will go towards a much-needed new swimming pool to help injured servicemen recover.

The match will be played at Twickenham on Saturday, September 20, where the Help 4 Heroes XV will take on an International Select XV.

Former England captains Phil de Glanville and Lawrence Dallaglio will act as team manager and non-playing captain respectively for the Heroes XV while ex-Welsh stars Ieuan Evans and Scott Gibbs will fill the same roles for the Select XV.

Tickets, from £20 to £30 for adults and from £10 to £15 for under-16s, are available at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or on 0870 9020000.