A SOLDIER has swapped risky military operations for pulling pints in his pub after returning from serving in Afghanistan.

Robert Richier, landlord of the Warrant Officer pub, in Higham Hill Road, Walthamstow, is slowly adjusting to civilian life after spending six months with the Royal Logistic Corps of the Territorial Army (TA) in Kabul.

The 53-year-old, who named his pub after his rank, said: “It takes a long time to get your feet on the ground. I have come from wearing armour, travelling in armoured vehicles and helicopters and carrying pistols, so to come back to pulling pints is surreal and it takes a long time to get back down to earth.”

Working in up to 40 deg C heat, the dad-of-two was responsible for recruiting young Afghan men to work as interpreters, mechanics and doctors for the British Army.

He said every day they faced the threat of roadside bombs as they carried out their duties in a country where 212 British military and thousands of Afghan civilians have lost their lives since operations began in 2001.

He said: “Afghanistan must be one of the worst terrains in the world, but we tried our best. Everybody who travels by road or in the air is under threat, even in the main camps. But any soldier who is professional will put their fears behind them and get on with the job he has to do.”

During the tour, the officer gave the name “the brave interpreters” to the Afghan men he worked with who he said imparted invaluable geographical and cultural knowledge to the British soldiers.

He said it was devastating to lose two of them in roadside explosions, but he never lost sight of his role in what has been widely regarded as a controversial war.

“The family of one of the interpreters who died came to me and offered their hands and said, ‘thank you for being here’,” he said. “I had expected animosity before I went, but I only came across people who were pleased to see us.

“We are out there at the invitation of the Afghanistan government and our main aim is to teach Afghan police and military. I think we are doing a very good job out there and are supported by the majority of the Afghan population.”

After spending time with his family and attending to his business, he plans to volunteer to go back to Afghanistan next year to “one of the most rewarding jobs” he says he has ever done. He is also planning a fund-raising event for Help for Heroes at the pub in the coming weeks.