A soldier killed days after being posted to Iraq was named last night.

Kingsman Jamie Hancock, 19, served with the 2nd Battalion the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, which left Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, for the Gulf just over a week ago.

He was single and lived near Wigan, Lancashire, with his brother, also a serving soldier, the Ministry of Defence said.

He died when a coalition army base in Basra, in southern Iraq, came under small arms fire on Monday. There were no other casualties in the incident.

Major Charlie Burbridge, spokesman for the British military in Basra, said Kingsman Hancock was killed while on sentry duty.

He said: "There were bursts of automatic fire, which is an indication that this was not a sniper.

"These are individual rogue elements of criminal gangs and militias who target our soldiers."

A spokesman for the Army at Catterick Garrison said Kingsman Hancock's family had been informed of the incident on Monday evening.

Last night, the soldier's family issued a statement through the MoD saying: "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."

Nine soldiers from the North-East and North Yorkshire, as well as five who were based at Catterick Garrison but were from outside the region, have died in Iraq since hostilities began in 2003.

Defence Secretary Des Browne said he was deeply saddened by news of the latest death.

"His family, friends and comrades, as ever, have my thoughts and prayers at this difficult time," he said.

"Our brave forces are striving to build a better future for the people of Iraq and this is a stark reminder to us all of the dangers they face there."

Monday's death takes to 121 the number of British troops killed in operations in Iraq since 2003, 91 of them in hostile action.

Britain has 7,200 troops in Iraq, most of them based around Basra.

The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment was formed in July from an amalgamation of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment, the King's Regiment and the Queen's Lancashire Regiment.

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