THE teenage Hampshire soldier killed on the front line in Iraq last week had known her mission to the country was dangerous but wanted to go anyway.

Nineteen-year-old Private Eleanor Dlugosz died alongside three colleagues when her armoured truck was blown-up by insurgents near Basra last Thursday.

At the weekend as her devastated family from Swanmore paid tribute to the Army Medic, they also said Pte Dlugosz had always wanted to help people and that was why she had looked forward to going to Iraq.

With tears streaming down their faces, Pte Dlugosz' mother Sally Veck, 41, surrounded by her grandparents Mary and Lionel Veck, told of their pride at what she had achieved.

Mary Veck said: "She was well aware of the dangers in what she was doing, but she was proud of what she was doing out there.

"I spoke to her on Tuesday from Iraq.

"She had had a bad day, but she was very proud of what they were doing over there, and we were very proud of her."

Pte Dulgosz' mum Sally, added: "She was an extremely independent young lady and excelled at everything she put her hand to.

"She had many friends and was loved and adored by everyone who met her.

"She was my star all of the time. Nothing could have stopped her from serving her country - she was doing exactly what she wanted and she had always dreamed of joining the Army.

"She was my Eleanor."

Pte Dlugosz was killed alongside Prince William's friend Lieutenant Joanna Dyer, 24, Corporal Kris O'Neill, 27, and Kingsman Adam Smith, 19. A fifth soldier remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Pte Dlugosz, known to her friends as Ella or 'DZ', had been serving as a Medic with the Royal Army Medical Corps and had been attached to the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Battle Group when they were attacked in their Warrior Armoured Vehicle last Thursday.