Death of a family man: He lived for the Army, he died from a bomb in Iraq

Graham Hesketh stayed in Iraq to be with his men at Christmas. He died on Thursday, the day after another British soldier, James Dwyer, was killed in Afghanistan

He was an altar boy, a devoted father and a football fan who loved his club, Everton, almost as much as he loved the Army.

Most of the British soldiers killed recently in Iraq and Afghanistan have been young men; few had enough time to marry and have children. Sergeant Graham Hesketh, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Basra on Thursday, was different: a 35-year-old father of two who treated his platoon as a second family.

The sergeant, from the 2nd Battalion, the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, lived and breathed army life. Unable to settle in civilian life after three years out of the Army, he re-enlisted, and even asked to stay on in Iraq this Christmas so he could look after his men. He died from injuries sustained when a bomb exploded next to his Warrior armoured vehicle during a routine security patrol in the southern Iraqi city.

Sgt Hesketh was the second British soldier to die last week. A day earlier Lance Bombardier James Dwyer, 22, was killed in Afghanistan's southern Helmand Province. The Secretary of State for Defence, Des Browne, yesterday called the deaths "a tragedy".

Born in Liverpool in 1971, Graham Hesketh grew up in Runcorn, Cheshire. Those who knew him described him as a sports-loving child and a vibrant individual. He first joined up in 1989, serving with the 1st Royal Tank Regiment in Germany. He was posted to Iraq in November this year and deployed on various peacekeeping missions. His commanding officer, Major Rob Driver, described him as a "highly capable, professional soldier" and a "role model to the other soldiers within his battalion".

"Sgt Graham Hesketh's death is a desperate loss to his family, colleagues and friends," said Maj Driver. "Graham always lived life to the fullest, he was a vibrant and energetic individual whose love for life and sense of humour touched all those around him." His death is the second for the 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, since its deployment in November. Kingsman Jamie Hancock, 19, was killed in Basra on sentry duty on 6 November, just three days after arriving in Iraq. The total number of British troops killed in operations in Iraq now stands at 127.

Sgt Hesketh's father, Kevin, said his son was "a very great asset to the Army", adding: "He will remembered by his family, father, daughter and son, aunts, uncles and many friends he made during his lifetime." Sgt Hesketh was engaged to a soldier also serving in Iraq. He leaves behind a seven-year-old daughter and a son, aged three. "Sgt Graham Hesketh cared deeply for his men and in return they respected him," said Regimental Sergeant Major Ian Main. "But, more than that, they loved him."

Everton Football Club paid tribute yesterday to the dead man. A spokesman for the club said: "On behalf of the club, players, management and staff, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends."

To the men he served alongside in Afghanistan, Lance Bombardier James Dwyer was known simply as "Doobs". A fiercely intelligent British soldier, he loved to travel and play squash.

His death makes the South African-born 22-year-old the 44th British serviceman to be killed in Afghanistan since operations began there in 2001. Last night his parents were en route to Britain in preparation for the return of their son's body.

According to local police, the patrol vehicle L/Bdr Dwyer was driving wasn't armoured. It struck an anti-tank landmine on Wednesday in the Garmsir desert, the heart of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province. The explosion, which killed L/Bdr Dwyer, seriously injured another soldier who was travelling as part of a four-man reconnaissance team. The incident is believed to have been an accident rather than the result of an attack.

L/Bdr Dwyer, who was a member of the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, had been posted to Afghanistan about two months ago.

Afghanistan is one of the most mined countries in the world. According to the United Nations, there are up to seven million unexploded mines left lying in the ground, the remains of three decades of war in the country. Although Afghanistan has an active de-mining programming, only a fraction have been destroyed.

Speaking from her home in Durban yesterday, James Dwyer's grandmother said: "He was a loving, friendly boy with lots of friends."