A SOLDIER who was seriously injured while serving in Afghanistan is preparing to return to the front-line.

Corporal James Grundy, of the Royal Engineers, was travelling in an armoured Panther vehicle with three other troopers near Lashkar Gah as part of a convoy in May 2010, when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), destroyed the seven-tonne vehicle.

Two passengers in the rear seats were uninjured, but the blast buckled the doors and killed driver Sapper Daryn Roy. Cpl Grundy, from Selby, suffered broken cheekbones, a broken upper jaw, and needed metal plates fitted in his face.

Almost two years on, the 27-year-old is back with Ripon-based 21 Engineer Regiment, and will return to Afghanistan this year, with older brother Peter, who is a captain in the regiment.

Cpl Grundy said: “I felt a lot better after a few months, and don’t have flashbacks. I had a few mental ‘blips’ about six months after, but it’s mostly been put to bed now, in a way.

“Daryn’s inquest was held a few months ago, and that was almost like closure. I went to the funeral, and that was a big step.”

Like his brothers, Peter and Paul, Cpl Grundy joined the Regiment at 16. His father was also in the army, and Cpl Grundy said the support of his friends and family helped him recover and get back into his regular routine.

He said: “If you let them know what’s going on, they’re really helpful. I was told by a friend that I needed to go see someone. I would get really aggressive over little things and was just different. I didn’t realise it was because of that, but noticed I was getting more easily wound up by things like people bumping into me in the street.”

Last year, Cpl Grundy and members of the Regiment trained with 40 Commando Royal Marines and US Marines in California’s Mojave desert, which he said was a “fantastic experience”, and “the highlight of my career so far”.

In September, he returns to Afghanistan, in a role based at Camp Bastion, with his brother, who is now also Quartermaster for 73 Armoured Engineer Squadron, and said he hoped he could set an example to younger members of the regiment.

Cpl Grundy said: “I don’t think there are many that would put their hand up to volunteer, but it’s part of the job, it’s what we do.

“I remember when I was a young private or sapper, I looked at corporals and leaders who were first point of contact, and had been there and done that. I’m now in that role after 11 years of being in the army, and it’s my job to bring them through and give them the advice and knowledge I received.”