THE Catterick officer killed in a bomb attack in Iraq had volunteered to return to the Gulf to help rebuild the country, it was revealed.

Captain David 'Dai' Jones, 29, of the 1st Battalion, The Queen's Lancashire Regiment, based at Catterick Garrison, died when the military ambulance he was travelling in was targeted near Basra.

The married captain, from Louth, Lincolnshire, was in the vehicle with two other soldiers when a remote-controlled bomb was detonated.

Capt Jones went to the Gulf in January and served as a liaison officer between the Army and the civilian population.

He was responsible for overseeing the distribution of humanitarian aid, improving local infrastructure and helping the Iraqi communities establish local councils. He returned to the UK in May on leave, but in June volunteered to go back to Iraq to carry out similar humanitarian duties. His tour of duty had another three months to run.

His colleagues told of a man who was extremely popular among the members of his battalion.

His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Jorge Mendonca, said: "Dai Jones was a courageous, warm-hearted and very popular officer who will be sorely missed."

A statement from his regiment read: "Capt Jones was a professional, enthusiastic and outgoing officer who cared deeply about the soldiers he commanded and always looked to learn new skills to improve his ability as an infantry officer."

Mrs Jones said: "I am extremely proud of Dai. He was a wonderful husband who served his country with great courage."

Capt Jones was the first British soldier to die in combat in Iraq since June 24, when six Royal Military Police were killed as a crowd surrounded a police station at Al Majar Al-Kabir, near Basra.

They included 23-year-old Lance Corporal Benjamin Hyde of Northallerton.

It is understood Capt Jones was in the ambulance for a routine matter and was on his way to have stitches removed when the bomb detonated.

The other two men in the vehicle sustained shrapnel wounds which were not life-threatening.

Tragedy struck at around 9am UK time last Thursday as the ambulance was travelling between Basra and Shaibah in southern Iraq. The bomb was hidden next to a lamp-post.