Soldier killed on second day in Iraq

A soldier killed in a "tragic incident" on a training range in Iraq had only arrived in the country two days previously.

Lance Corporal Andrew Craw, of the 1st Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, died in a training accident near the southern city of Basra on Wednesday.

He had arrived in Iraq on January 5 to begin a six-month tour of duty with his battalion after recently being promoted.

Today, the 21-year-old's father Alex was too upset to speak from the family's terraced home in Tullibody, near Alloa, Clackmannanshire.

The Ministry of Defence said it had launched an investigation into the death of L/Cpl Craw, who was single.

His commanding officer paid tribute to the "bright and promising soldier", who was the seventh Scots soldier to die since the conflict began.

Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Gray said: "This is a tragic incident in the first few days of the battalion's six-month operational tour in Iraq.

"Andy was a bright and promising soldier who will be sorely missed by all in the regiment.

"At present, our thoughts are with his family, who have asked for privacy at this very difficult and distressing time."

L/Cpl Craw signed up to the Army in 1999 and joined the Argylls a year later.

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