08/11/2006

MoD names British soldier killed in Basra

The Ministry of Defence has named a British solider who was killed in an attack at an army base in southern Iraq on Monday.

Kingsman Jamie Hancock, 19, from the 2nd Battalion, the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment died from injuries sustained when he came under small arms fire whilst on sentry duty at the Old State Building, a Coalition Forces base in central Basra.

The MoD said that there were no other casualties in the incident, which took place around 1200 local time on Monday.

Kingsman Hancock lived near Wigan, Lancashire, with his brother who is also a soldier.

He joined the army when he was 18 and was posted to the 1st Battalion of the King's Regiment in June, having volunteered for a six-month tour of Iraq as part of Catterick-based 19 Light Brigade. The regiment amalgamated into the Duke of Lancaster's regiment a month later.

He had been in Iraq since October 21.

Kingsman Hancock's Company Commander, Major Chris Job, said: "Kingsman Hancock was an energetic and enthusiastic individual who lived for the army and had a very promising career ahead of him. Proud to be a Kingsman, he was determined to do as well as he possibly could. His enthusiasm was boundless and the fearless spirit with which he lived was amply demonstrated by his decision to volunteer for this Iraq tour.

"He was a magnet for his peers who were drawn by his infectious sense of fun and all-embracing nature. Always at the centre of practical jokes, he lived life to the full."

Kingsman Hancock was single. His family issued a statement which said: "We are deeply shocked at the loss of our much-loved son. We are and always will be very proud of him and all that he achieved."

(KMcA)


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