Sadness at soldier's Iraq death

Fusilier Russell Beeston came under attack in southern Iraq

The commanding officer of a Scottish regiment has expressed sadness at the death of one of his soldiers in Iraq.

Russell Beeston, a Territorial Army soldier from Govan in Glasgow, died from gunshot wounds when his patrol was confronted by angry Iraqis on Wednesday night.

Lieutenant Colonel Jim Wilson said that he knew Fusilier Beeston "reasonably well" and expressed sympathy for the part-time soldier's family.

Fusilier Beeston, 26, was a member of the 52nd Lowland Regiment, attached to the 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers.

He died when his convoy came under fire in the south east of the country.

Rocket propelled grenades

He was returning to base in Al Amarah when his patrol was confronted by angry Iraqis.

The soldiers jumped from their vehicles to disperse the crowd, but a second group of Iraqis closed in.

The British said that they fired warning shots and the Iraqis responded with small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades.

Fusilier Beeston died from gunshot wounds to the chest.

A second Briton was injured in the hand.

The remaining troops managed to escape with the help of a helicopter escort.

Fusilier Beeston's relatives have been informed of his death.

Lt Col Jim Wilson: "Sympathy for the family"

Lt Col Wilson said: "Personally I'm very saddened. I knew Russell reasonably well, and across the regiment it is a day of deep sadness.

"Our sympathies of course go out to his family.

"It's particularly poignant that we received the news of Russell's death as we were about to go to the funeral of Jason Smith, another territorial soldier from Scotland."

Private Smith, 32, died from heat exhaustion while serving in Iraq with the 52nd Lowland Regiment Territorial Army Battalion.

His funeral took place on Thursday at Teviot Parish Church in Hawick in the Scottish Borders.

Fifty British soldiers have now died in Iraq in the war and its aftermath.