GULF WAR II: FEARS OF FAMILIES

FANATICAL Fedayeen militia fought to the death yesterday as the Desert Rats penetrated deeper into Basra.

Tanks from the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards destroyed a command and control centre nearly seven kilometres into Iraq's second city.

Several bunkers were wrecked as was a Russian-built T55 tank which seconds earlier had opened fire on the advancing British.

It's believed up to 20 Fedayeen - distinctive in their black boiler suits - were killed.

But the resistance proved that talk of the pro-government forces surrendering in Basra remains extremely premature.

Scotland's cavalry is now firmly established in the south west of the city.

The raid was the second of the day by Scots DG B Squadron commanded by Major Chris Brannigan. They were joined by warrior fighting vehicles of the Irish Guards - the infantry arm of the Scots DG battle group.

Major Brannigan said it was another highly successful day's work, but warned that more hard work lies ahead in the battle for Basra.

"We destroyed a command and control centre on the main road as we went forward," he said.

"We also accounted for a number of Fedayeen who were trying to engage us with rocket propelled grenades.

"A T55 tank which had engaged one of our vehicles was also taken out. There is no doubt that a compound we destroyed is very much where the bad guys live."

He added: "The opposition we are facing seems to be continuing and I think it's going to remain this way for the time being.

"What happens now depends on the enemy but there is no doubt that the Fedayeen are posing the main problem.

"The control centre had the Iraqi military insignia on it but it seems it was populated not just by the regular Iraqi army." A decision must now be taken in the coming days on whether to consolidate the position in the south west of the city or to launch a decisive strike to take the centre.

However, even if the Iraqi regime surrenders, the British fear Fedayeen fanatics will fight to the last man.

Yesterday's push into Basra was being anxiously followed by wives and girlfriends of SDG and Black Watch soldiers back at their base in Fallingbostel, Germany.

The attack came at the end of a tense week for families of the Black Watch soldiers who seized Al Zubayr.

News of the death of the regiment's Lance Corporal Barry Stephen, 31, reached Fallingbostel during the week. He is the only Scots victim of the conflict so far.

Elaine Dunn, 29, a clerk for the Black Watch, couldn't help but think it could have been her husband Corporal Allan Dunn, 30, a warrior commander in the Black Watch with B Company.

"You have good days and you have bad days and then you have really bad days," said Elaine, from Pitlochry, Perthshire.

"Yesterday I drove into work, parked my car and burst into tears and nothing specifically prompted it but it's just the worry and the stress."

Claire Barton said: "For the first two weeks all I did was watch the news but I started to make myself ill watching it so I started just checking up at night time.

"You wake up with relief that no-one has come to your door."

Brenda Hainey added: "Every morning you get up and the first thing you do is put the TV on. Its been awful some mornings because you can't get away from it."

And Melanie Musson told of how her two children constantly ask where her daddy is.

"I just tell them he's in the desert and he will home soon," she said. "The news makes you worry all the more."

-SCOTTISH anti-war protesters unfurled a 40ft wide "No war for oil" banner from the Salvation Army Citadel in Aberdeen yesterday. It was later removed by police.

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