Lance Corporal Andrew Craw, who served in the 1st Battalion Argyll and Sunderland Highlanders, died just hours after arriving in Iraq on 7 January, 2004.

Described as having "exceptional talent from the outset", he followed in the footsteps of his uncle - Corporal Campbell Craw - and grandfather - Lance Corporal Watson.

His family and fellow soldiers will particularly miss his "maturity and lively sense of humour."

Lance Corporal Andrew James Craw, 21, was single and came from Clackmannanshire in Scotland.

He joined the Army in 1999 and, after receiving basic training, joined the Argylls in 2000. With them he served in Northern Ireland until the Battalion moved to Canterbury in 2003.

From there he was deployed to Iraq for operations in January, 2004. But, just 12 hours after his arrival in Basra in died during an incident on a training range. He was due to serve six months there.

During his life, he was given a special medal for helping to guard George Bush on his visit to Britain in 2003 and had also been presented with a wallet and autograph by Prince Charles.

The Ministry of Defence issued a statement saying: "He was an outstanding soldier who demonstrated exceptional talent from the outset. Having shown early potential on joining the Battalion, he was selected for leadership training and promoted to Lance Corporal in the summer of 2003.

"A popular soldier, Andy was an extremely fit and capable sportsman. In particular, he was a keen boxer who had represented the Battalion on a number of occasions."

His Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Gray, made his own personal tribute and 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."

Lance Corporal Craw is survived by his mother Ray, father James, his sisters Kellyann, 22, and Belinda, 11, and brother Jamie, 18.

Ray said: ''He joined the Army straight from school at 16 and signed up for 22 years. It was his ambition to be a professional soldier and he fulfilled that ambition. Andrew was just a happy-go-lucky boy. He had an outgoing character and many friends.''

Dad James added: ''Andrew always said he would join the Army. He never wanted to do anything else. It would never have crossed his mind to leave after three or five years."

Battalion secretary Major Alastair Campbell also paid tribute and said: ''Andrew comes from a great regimental family. I served with his uncle, Corporal Campbell Craw.

"Andrew was both well considered and well liked, which is not often the case, and clearly had a wonderful career ahead of him. There is no doubt in my mind that he would have continued to be promoted."