Iraq victim due to be a dad

6:30am Monday 24th September 2007

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An Oxfordshire soldier and father-to-be has died following an accident in Iraq - a day before he was due to leave the war-torn country to see his pregnant wife.

Sgt Mark Stansfield, 32, of Bicester, died following a forklift truck accident while he carrying out security checks at an ammunition supply point at Basra Air Station.

He joined the Army in 1992 aged 17 and was serving in Iraq with 32 Close Support Squadron of the UK Logistic Battalion, based at Dalton Barracks, Abingdon.

Sgt Stansfield married his wife, Joanne, in St Lucia at Christmas. She is pregnant with a boy the couple had named Jake. Last night, she was being comforted at home by relatives and was too upset to speak.

Mr Stansfield - who was also known as 'Stan' - is the 170th British soldier serving in Iraq to die since the allied invasion in 2003.

He was treated at the base before being airlifted to Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital, where he later died.

Last night, Sgt Stansfield's commanding officer in Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel David Roberts, said: "He was a first class soldier with an extremely bright career ahead of him.

"He was admired by the soldiers he led and respected by everyone.

"Mark had a wealth of experience from previous operational tours in the Balkans, Northern Ireland and Iraq. He was a true professional in every sense of the word.

"A devoted family man, Mark sustained the injuries that led to his tragic and untimely death the day before he was due to depart, having been in Iraq for almost four months.

"Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with Mark's wife, Joanne, their unborn baby boy and their family."

Sgt Stansfield's squadron commander in Iraq, Major Dave Poole, said: "Having married Joanne over Christmas leave, he was due to return the day after his duty and was bubbling with excitement about the scan he and Joanne were due to have for the birth of their first child.

"While Sgt Stansfield's death has hit us very hard, we draw some comfort from knowing his unborn baby boy is growing well, and little Jake will grow up knowing what a fine man his father was.

"Our thoughts are with Joanne and all of Stan's family and we hope in the coming days, they will draw strength from knowing he was among friends out here and all of us are better people for knowing him."

Defence Secretary Des Browne added: "I was deeply sorry to learn about the loss of Sgt Stansfield, a hugely brave, dedicated and ambitious soldier who will be sorely missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."

The news came as Territorial Army soldiers from Oxford prepared to fly to Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan.

Soldiers from 7th Battalion, The Rifles, based at Slade Park Barracks in Headington, are among 140 TA troops from across the region about to begin a six-month tour of the country.