It is with deep regret that the Ministry of Defence has to confirm that Private Paul Aitken Lowe of the 1st Battalion The Black Watch was killed by a suicide car-bomb attack on a vehicle check-point in Iraq on 4 November 2004. Aged 19, he was single and came from Fife. He had been in the Army three years.

Private Paul Lowe was a keen and admirable young soldier who had wanted to join The Black Watch from the age of seven years. A very able and talented drummer while still at school, at Kelty in Fife, he continued his interest throughout his year-long training at the Army Apprentice College in Yorkshire and subsequent training at Catterick. He was a popular, lively young man at home and in the Battalion, having joined The Black Watch in November 2002, aged 17 years, in Germany. He deployed with his Battalion to Kuwait in 2003 and subsequently fought in the period of active combat operations in Iraq War in the spring.

In July 2003 he returned to Germany with the Battalion, and thereafter to Warminster in February 2004, having gained an instructor qualification in his drumming in the meantime. He again deployed to Iraq with his Battalion in July 2004, with his fellow pipers and drummers in their war-fighting role.

Having been passed the news of his death his brother Craig (18) also serving in The Black Watch but home in Scotland attending a training course said:

"My family and all of Paul's friends were shocked and saddened to hear of his death while serving his country with the 1st Battalion The Black Watch in Iraq. It is a sad time for us all and at this time words cannot express the depth of grief that my mother Helen, brothers Stuart (16), Shaun (13), Jordan (10) and myself feel."

A close friend of the family said:

"His mother, Mrs Helen Lowe was bitterly struck by the untimely death of her son, of whom she and her brothers were immensely proud. Mrs Lowe and the boys have been supported superbly in their time of grief and by the close support of their friends, family and neighbours despite the intrusion of the media into their sadness".

Craig added:

"On behalf of the whole family I would be grateful to the media to now leave us alone to grieve and mourn in peace during this very sad time."

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