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Jim Wilkinson is a Lance Corporal in the British Army, but just two years ago, he was a gamekeeper on the North York Moors along with his working dogs, Molly and Missy.

Recently he swapped the rugged beauty of the moors for a more hostile environment, Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan.

He still has man's best friend by his side though, as he's serving with 103 Theatre Military Working Dogs Support Unit.

Jamie loves his job!

Jim, along with Jamie, his trusty search dog, helps to deter attacks and save lives in Afghanistan. Jim might only have just started his army career, but Jamie is a veteran, having been in Afghanistan for three years and in the army for nine! He's also served in Kosovo and Iraq.

He was rescued as a young puppy by the Army and trained at the Royal Army Veterinary Corps as a search dog. Jamie can detect the slightest hint of explosives or weapons and is used to both defect and prevent such materials being moved.

Jim explains their role together: “Day-to-day, I always have to look after the dog first, getting Jamie his feed and lots of water. When we were first here we did a lot of base security in Kabul, working on the main gate of our military compound, checking vehicles and people coming in for anything they shouldn’t have.

“For the end of the tour, we have been based here in Lashkar Gah, the Brigade Headquarters, where we do gate security as well as lots of patrols out on the ground. We set up vehicle check points which control movement and act as a deterrent to insurgents attempting to move explosives, IEDs (Improved Explosive Devices) or weapons. ”

In December 2008, Jim and Jamie were at the front-line playing their part in a major British offensive. They manned a patrol base and did roving vehicle check points to gauge and limit the movement of the enemy. Jim often fought alongside the Royal Marines during attacks on the patrol base.

Having Jamie around can really help though, as Jim explains: “It was a really tough time for us both, and I lost one of my friends, Corporal Rob Deering, of Commando Logistic Regiment, in an IED attack as we returned on a convoy back to Camp Bastion on the 21st December 2008. All of us were hit very hard and it was the low point of my tour for sure.

After all that hard work, Jamie will soon be hanging up his lead and his glittering career will come to an end. He'll probably have a spell in Germany helping to train new dog handlers, then it's hoped he'll end his days happily in retirement with Jim's father in Nunburnholme, near York.

Jim, however hopes to take the arduous physical training instructor course so he can be the 103 Military Working Dog Unit's fitness instructor!

“It will be really hard to leave Jamie, and very weird to think of other dog handlers working with him, but hopefully when his time comes to an end with the Army, I will put the papers in for him and he can be re-homed with me or my dad, who has said he would love him. He will join Molly and Missy, my other two dogs from when I was a gamekeeper, and have a happy retirement out on the moors.”