SOLDIERS based in Exeter will be among hundreds of servicemen and women from Devon to be deployed to Afghanistan in the spring.

The Ministry of Defence announced yesterday that troops from across the South West will serve in the next military tour of the country.

READY TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY: Medic Ted Evans, who works at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital

Defence Secretary Liam Fox told the House of Commons that 3 Commando Brigade would lead the next deployment of British troops in Helmand Province.

It is the largest mobilisation of troops from the South West since 2008.

The battle group will include personnel from the Royal Marines, Army, Royal Navy and the Territorial Army (TA).

About 45 soldiers from Exeter's TA regiment 6th Battalion The Rifles, based at Wyvern Barracks, will be part of the troops deployed.

The Echo has been following their training in preparation for service in Afghanistan for several months.

In August, we joined the battalion out in Cyprus where they learnt life-saving skills needed on the battlefield.

And last month, we followed them to a military training camp in Wales where their training continued.

Among those deploying to the war zone is medic Ted Evans, who works at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

Speaking to the Echo earlier this year, Captain Evans, who has already served in Afghanistan, said: "If I was not prepared to go back out there, I wouldn't be here.

"I joined the Army to support the fighting troops either in the UK or out on the battlefield."

Commanding Officer of 6 Rifles, Lieutenant Colonel Tim House told the Echo the city-based soldiers would play a "hugely important" role during their time in Afghanistan.

"There has been a huge amount of training and the soldiers hit the ground running with it," he said.

"It's very intensive training which will go on right up until they deploy around April next year. The TA play a hugely important role out there. They make up about 10 per cent of deployed forces.

"And looking at the civilian jobs of the guys we have going out there, we've got drivers, builders, mortgage advisors, a postman – they all bring a huge range of different skills which are highly employable in a campaign as complex as the one in Afghanistan."

Lt Col House said some of the Exeter-based soldiers would be carrying out frontline duties.

The Royal Marines contingent deploying to Afghanistan will include Plymouth's newest commando unit, 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group, 42 Commando from Bickleigh and the Commando Logistic Regiment from Chivenor, North Devon. Army personnel will include 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, based in Plymouth, 24 Commando Engineer Regiment from Chivenor and 1 Rifles, which incorporated the old Devon and Dorset regiment and recruits soldiers from across the South West.

The Royal Navy will also be represented with personnel from 854 and 857 Naval Air Squadrons from Culdrose, in Cornwall.