Iraq victim 'wanted to come home'

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Twenty-year-old Private James Kerr from Cowdenbeath, Fife, was one of three servicemen who died when a device exploded as they were patrolling in the southern city of Basra.

Fellow Black Watch member Private Scott Kennedy, 20, from Oakley, Dunfermline, and Corporal Paul Joszko, 28, of the Royal Welsh battalion from Mountain Ash, Wales, were also killed in the attack. A fourth unnamed soldier was seriously injured.

Private Kerr's stepfather told how James, known as Jamie, called his mother Paulene and told her he wanted to come home.

John Paul Ward said in an interview: "Jamie said being out there was not what he thought it would be. He didn't want to be there. He was more scared than anything else. He said he wanted to come home and I think being out there was a reality check for him."

Private Kerr was said to have been serving in Iraq for around seven weeks.

The deaths bring the total number of British military fatalities since the hostilities in Iraq began to 156.

New Prime Minister Gordon Brown - who is the MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, the home of Pte Kerr - said he was "deeply saddened" by news of the losses.

Mr Brown said: "My thoughts and prayers are with the families of all the fallen soldiers, who died bravely serving their country."