A FUNERAL for Afghanistan hero Tom Wroe will take place next Friday.

And the service at St Bartholomew’s Church, Meltham, will be accompanied by full military honours for the teenage soldier.

Pte Wroe, who was just 18, was shot dead by a rogue Afghan policeman on September 15.

He died alongside his comrade in the 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment Sgt Gareth Thursby.

The pair were repatriated to the UK last Thursday.

Army officials who have been liaising with Pte Wroe’s family confirmed the service will take place at 12noon on Friday, October 5.

“There will be full military honours for Pte Wroe,” said a spokesman.

Pte Wroe, who was in the Army Cadets from the age of 13, couldn’t wait to get to Afghanistan.

He had enlisted in The Yorkshire Regiment and was “gutted” when his unit was deployed there in April, but he had to wait until he turned 18 at the end of June.

Tom lived at Hey Crescent, Meltham, with his parents Mick and Claire and sister Demi, 14.

His father had served for 22 years in The Duke of Wellingtons’s Regiment.

Pte Wroe and Sgt Thursby died in the south of Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province. The pair had been going to the assistance of an apparently-injured man dressed in an Afghan police uniform when he opened fire, killing them both.

Tom had joined the Thongsbridge detachment of the Army Cadet at 13 and served with them until he joined up in the Army.

Lieut Richard Keaveney, admin officer for the cadets’ D Company, said many, many young people would be at the service to pay tribute to Tom.

Lieut Keveney, who helped train Tom when he first joined up, said: “He was a very dedicated, first-class cadet. We all knew Tom and many past and present Cadets will be at the service to pay their respects.

“We will parade in uniform at some part of the route leading to the church as a mark of respect.”

Meanwhile, Huddersfield Town will tomorrow pay their own tribute to Pte Wroe, who was a supporter.

There will be a minute’s silence at the John Smith’s Stadium prior to the Championship match against Watford.

Huddersfield Town chairman Dean Hoyle said: “As much as we’re all enjoying the football right now, a tragic piece of news on the day of our victory over Derby County put everything into perspective.

“Before the Watford kick-off we will observe a minute’s silence in honour of Private Tom Wroe, who lost his life serving our country in Afghanistan.

“Private Wroe was described as an ‘avid Huddersfield Town fan’ by his commanding officer and the thoughts of everyone at the club are with his family and friends at this sad time.

“We all love our football, but it really does pale in comparison to life-changing news like this and it is only right that we pay our respects.”