THE pregnant wife of the region's first serviceman to die in the war with Iraq told last night of a remarkable husband, father and Royal Marine.

Captain Philip Guy was among the eight British and four American servicemen who died when a US Sea Knight helicopter crashed in the Kuwaiti desert on Friday.

The helicopter was returning from a successful mission to capture an oil pumping station and pipeline valve on the Al Faw peninsula as the Allies scrambled to prevent Iraqi troops blowing the country's oil wells.

The family's worst fears were confirmed when Ministry of Defence officials called at their North Yorkshire home late on Friday evening.

The tragedy was the result of an accident and not enemy fire.

His wife, Helen, is due to give birth within the next fortnight.

Tributes to twice-decorated Capt Guy's courage were led by Prime Minister Tony Blair who said of the dead marines: "These were brave men who, in order to make us safer and more secure, knew the risks, faced the risks and had the courage to serve their country and the wider world."

And last night, Helen Guy said his sacrifice had torn her world apart, describing her husband as "a true hero".

She said: "Phil was the most perfect, loving, special husband that I could have wished for.

"All he ever wanted to do was to provide for us, to be a good husband to me, and father to Henry and our unborn child.

"He died surrounded by our love and we will never ever forget what a truly wonderful man he was."

Last night, Mrs Guy was being comforted by her family, including her sister, Catherine, and her husband's parents, Stuart and Anne, who farm at Ribba Hall, Bishopdale, in the Yorkshire Dales.

Capt Guy's parents last saw their son in the New Year before bidding him good luck on his hazardous assignment.

They were informed of his death on Friday night by three Ministry of Defence officials.

Paying tribute to her brave son, Anne Guy said he had wanted to be a Royal Marine from a young boy and was a true officer from the first moment he started his training.

"He was a very brave and courageous soldier and will be sadly missed by his family and all who knew him," she said.

Capt Guy was a seasoned veteran of several conflicts, including the Bosnian crisis and the war in Afghanistan, where he led a team combing remote caves looking for al Qaida arms caches.

The 29-year-old had been in Kuwait for six weeks prior to the Allied assault on Iraq. He had moved back to Skipton, North Yorkshire, from Plymouth shortly before leaving.

The former Wensleydale School pupil joined the Royal Marines in 1995 after graduating with a BA degree in geography from Salford University.

After rigorous training at Lympstone, near Exeter, Capt Guy won the Marine Medal, an award for courage and unselfishness which is awarded by fellow officers.

He qualified as a paratrooper and was an expert in mountain and Arctic warfare.

As part of his Artic warfare specialism, he spent several weeks every year training in Norway.

He was a keen sportsman and had represented Salford University at football and the Marines at long distance running.

For his courageous service in the Balkans, he was awarded the Bosnia Medal.

A Marine guard of honour awaited Capt Guy and Helen, a teacher, when they were married in August 2000 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton. Their son, Henry, is 20 months old.

A full military funeral is planned for the same church, although a date has yet to be set

Air Marshal Brian Burridge, commander of British forces in Iraq, paid his own tribute to Capt Guy. He said: "The dead men were very brave going into battle and it is very sad to lose them."

Wife's loving tribute to her husband

My world has fallen apart. Phil was the most perfect, loving, special husband that I could have wished for.

He loved me and our son, Henry, so very, very much. All he ever wanted to do was to provide for us, to be a good husband to me, and father to Henry and our unborn child.

He was a true professional in his job, always striving to be the best that he could be, the fittest that he could be.

He was so very well loved and admired by all the people who he had met through his work; we had both made many lifelong friends.

He was the most brave, courageous man you could ever imagine, tough and steadfast, honest and true.

He would not have been afraid to go In that helicopter. He had been in helicopters countless times before. This would have been just another drop-off for him.

I know he died a true hero. He died for his Queen and country and to make the world a safer, better place for us to live in, for his children to grow up in.

Our love and pride was always with him and he knew that.

He died surrounded by our love and we will never ever forget what a truly wonderful man he was.

25/03/2003