A SOUTH Wiltshire community was in mourning this week for Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, the area's first casualty of the Iraq conflict.

L/CoH Hull, whose father lives in West Knoyle and mother in East Knoyle, had been married to his wife, Sue, for two years and served with the Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry Regiment, based in Windsor.

He was killed in a "friendly fire" incident near Basra on Friday, just three days short of his 26th birthday.

He had been travelling in a column of light armoured vehicles when it was attacked by a US A-10 tankbuster aircraft.

L/CoH Hull's father, Rich, and stepmother, Paula, live in West Knoyle with his half sister and half brother. They run the social club in West Knoyle and work at the Hill Brush Company in nearby Mere.

L/CoH Hull's mother, stepfather and their daughter live in East Knoyle.

Vicar of Mere David Linaker has spent time with L/CoH Hull's father and stepmother. He said Mr Hull was absolutely devastated.

"Rich is very well-known in West Knoyle," the Rev Linaker said. "I know that, as the news sinks in, the whole family will be very much in people's thoughts and prayers.

"But Matt's preparedness to put himself in the kind of danger that has led to his death is something that the community will want to honour and to which we pay heartfelt tribute.

"We remembered all the family in our prayers on Mothering Sunday in Mere and West Knoyle. Matt's birthday would have been on Monday, which added a particular poignancy to our prayers."

Mr Linaker said L/CoH Hull's body would be brought back to Britain, but no arrangements had yet been made for his funeral.

The young man's widow, who lived with him in married quarters, said: "Matty wasn't just another number added to the casualty list.

"He is without doubt the most exceptional man I have ever met, a loving and supportive husband and son, a dedicated soldier and a great friend to so many.

"He had rightly earned the utmost respect from everyone he worked with, and this makes it that much harder to accept this accidental death.

"Matty was fully committed to his role, in the army as a whole, and both his regiment and squadron. I know that he was where he wanted to be, doing the job he believed in when he died.

"Matty's personal strength instilled in me the ability to dig deep and be strong, and that is what I and everyone who loved him so greatly, must now do. It is what he would want."