Tom Mildinhall, who died on 28 May, 2006,
aged 26, was an enthusiastic and capable officer who was respected by his
fellow officers and popular with his troops.

Lieutenant Mildinhall, of 1st The Queen's
Dragoon Guards, was on patrol in the Al Jezaizah district of North West Basra
when the Land Rover in which he was travelling was struck by a bomb which also killed
Lance Corporal Paul Farrelly.

His Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel
Anthony Pitman, said: "Lieutenant Mildinhall was a thoroughly capable
officer. He was intelligent, determined and utterly loyal to both his own
command and his superiors."

Lieutenant Mildinhall's family said: "We
have lost a beautiful, talented and loving son for ever. Our world is in pieces
and our country has again lost one of its best."

Lieutenant Mildinhall was born on 9 July, 1979.
His father is retired Lieutenant Colonel Mildinhall formerly of the Royal
Engineers and his mother, Susan, is a speech and language therapist. His younger
brother, John, was studying for a PhD at Bristol University at the time of his death. The family home is in Battersea, South
London.

Lieutenant Mildinhall was educated at Monkton Combe School in Bath where he showed early promise on the
rowing team. He studied Artificial Intelligence and Computer Sciences at Durham University where he was a popular student.

After leaving university, he completed his
officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and in April 2004 was
commissioned into the Queen's Dragoon Guards. Known as The Welsh Cavalry, the
reconnaissance regiment is based in Osnabruck, Germany and
forms part of 20 Armoured Brigade.

Lieutenant Mildinhall was deployed to Iraq with his
Regiment in November, 2004, where he assisted in the training of the fledgling
Iraqi Border Police. He undertook this difficult task with typical enthusiasm
and made a remarkable impact.

Lt Col Pitman said: "He was a true
enthusiast and it was uplifting to be in his company. Regardless of
circumstance he always viewed the glass as half full. His love of life, sharp
wit and ability to laugh at himself coupled with his enduring commitment to the
team were qualities that endeared him to us all."

After returning from his first tour of duty
to Iraq,
Lieutenant Mildinhall completed a series demanding training exercises and reinforced his
reputation for leading by selfless example. He would not expect his troops to
do anything he would not do himself.

His second tour of duty had begun only a
month before his death but again Lieutenant Mildinhall had embraced the challenge with
typical enthusiasm and diligence.

Lt Col Pitman said: "He led by example
and his soldiers responded positively, safe in the knowledge he had their best
interests at heart. It was typical of his command style to insist he physically
led the more dangerous patrols as he was doing when his Troop came under attack
and he suffered a fatal injury."

Outside of the Army, Lieutenant Mildinhall great
passion was skiing, a pursuit he had undertaken regularly since learning to ski
at a young age. He was a keen downhill ski instructor and a popular member of
the Regimental Ski Team.

Lieutenant Mildinhall was a close friend to many in
the Officers' Mess where his dry sense of humour and razor sharp wit kept
spirits high even in the darkest moments of war. But he was also popular with
his soldiers who respected his willingness to lead from the front.

His family said: "Tom achieved an
immense amount in his life. He rowed at school and at Durham University and skied with us from an early age. He talked proudly of his Regiment and
enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow soldiers."