UK soldier killed in Basra named

L/Cpl Thomas' patrol was attacked by up to 50 militants

A British soldier killed after clashes with militants in the Iraqi city of Basra has been named as Lance Corporal Paul David Trevor Thomas.

The 29-year-old, who was not married, was a member of the 2nd Battalion The Light Infantry, attached to the 1st Battalion The Cheshire Regiment.

Lance Corporal Thomas, from Welshpool, mid Wales, was killed in action, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said.

His family described him as a "quiet, gentle and kind man".

'Isolated attack'

A second British soldier injured in Tuesday's incident has not been named.

British troops have been battling Shia militias thought to be loyal to radical Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr.

Paul's parents David and Joyce will take some considerable time to get over this Olga Suddell, relative of Mr Thomas Tributes pour in for dead soldier

Olga Suddell, a cousin of Lance Corporal Thomas, said: "The Army was Paul's life. From a youngster, all he ever wanted to be was a soldier.

"He was a quiet, gentle and a kind man who could be humorous."

A British Army spokesman, Squadron Leader Spike Wilson, said the second soldier was still receiving medical treatment for non-life threatening injuries.

A small British patrol had been attacked by a large number of militia with firearms and rocket-propelled grenades on Tuesday evening, he said.

"The patrol defended itself and killed a number of insurgents before withdrawing. Unfortunately, one soldier was killed and another injured."

'Anomaly'

Mr Wilson said the attack by up to 50 Iraqi militias was an "isolated" event during a "reasonably quiet last couple of days".

"The incident was really a bit of an anomaly," he said.

"Obviously, there are disparate small groups of insurgents, but it is the background level of nuisance activity we are used to."

He insisted that British forces would continue to operate "normal, low-level" patrols in Iraq.

Troops have battled militias in Basra

Tuesday's incident takes the number of deaths of British service personnel sent to Iraq to 65.

It follows the roadside bombing of three British civilian vehicles in Basra. Three vehicles were damaged but there were no reports of injuries.

The violence came as a delegation from a national conference in Baghdad was flown into the holy city of Najaf to present Mr Sadr with a peace proposal.

The move was aimed at ending violence there, but fighting intensified on Tuesday despite the arrival.

At least one US warplane dropped bombs near the city's cemetery - the site of recent clashes between US forces and militants.