THE mother of Colchester-based Red Cap Corporal Paul Long wept as she told how she missed her "wonderful" son.He was one of six men killed in Iraq on Tuesday from 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, which is part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, who were Patricia Long, speaking to Tyne Tees Television from her home in South Shields, said he had left a brother, Byron and sister Maria.

THE mother of Colchester-based Red Cap Corporal Paul Long wept as she told how she missed her "wonderful" son.

He was one of six men killed in Iraq on Tuesday from 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, which is part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, who were Patricia Long, speaking to Tyne Tees Television from her home in South Shields, said he had left a brother, Byron and sister Maria.

It was the second family tragedy within 12 months, as his father Gordon had died from cancer at the end of last year, she added.

"He was a wonderful son and I still love him very much. I miss him and just wish he was home with me now.

"The last time I saw him was in April 2002 at his wedding. He was very happy. He was a jolly boy.

"He was everything to me. All my children are everything to me and he is going to be a big miss.'

Earlier, the Ministry of Defence website had reported details of his family, and named his wife as Gemma.

It said his mission to Iraq was his first operational deployment with the Royal Military Police.

Cpl Long was married with a young son and was also on his first operational deployment with the Royal Military Police.

He joined the Army in April 1999 and was posted to 156 Provost Company in March 2000. A member of the Parachute Provost Platoon, he was a qualified radio operator.

Cpl Long, Cpl Russell Aston, Lance Cpl Ben Hyde, Lance Cpl Thomas Richard Keys, Cpl Simon Miller and Sgt Simon Hamilton-Jewell were gunned down in the southern town of Al Majar al-Kabir on Tuesday.

They had been due to return home next month.

The men were found dead following two incidents which resulted in eight other British casualties.

The MoD said troops from the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment, based in Dover, were patrolling in the town of Al Majar Al Kabir when they came under fire.

One person was injured and two vehicles were destroyed in the attack.

In responding to the incident, an RAF Chinook helicopter carrying a quick reaction force came under fire as it landed.

Seven personnel aboard the helicopter were wounded, three of them seriously.

A senior British commander said a "misunderstanding" over weapons searches had caused tensions and could have triggered the protests in Al Majar al-Kabir.