HUNDREDS more soldiers from Hampshire's own regiment are preparing to fly to Iraq.

The 600-strong 2nd Battalion The Princess Of Wales Royal Regiment - formerly the Hampshire Regiment - will be deployed in the Middle East just before Christmas.

The Ministry of Defence said the regiment, which is still known as the Tigers would be based in the south-east region around the city of Basra for about six months.

The regiment's 1st Battalion is currently completing a six-month tour of duty in the southern Iraqi province of Maysan.

Officials stressed they would be not part of the force relieving US troops in west Iraq.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon yesterday announced that 850 soldiers from The 1st Battalion The Black Watch would be spending several weeks on duty close to the capital Baghdad, in response to a US request.

They will remain in the US controlled zone, dubbed the Triangle of Death by American forces, until Christmas but will remain under the command of Major General Bill Rollo, British commander in Basra.

However an anxious Southampton mother fears her teenage son, who serves in the 2nd Battalion, could be called on to support US soldiers in the most volatile areas.

It will be 18-year-old Stuart Taylor Rice's first tour of duty and mum Fiona said she was finding it hard to contemplate not seeing him this Christmas.

She said: "He has been preparing for this for the past year but now it is a reality.

"I know he took the Queen's shilling when he signed up and when I signed his papers I gave him my blessing and knew he would see active service, it's just very difficult not knowing."

Stuart, who is currently based in Shropshire, was recalled from exercises earlier this week to prepare to leave for the Gulf.

Mrs Taylor Rice told the Daily Echo: "Stuart can't even tell us what his postal address will be so we can arrange to send him a Christmas present for him to open on December 25.

"All we hear is a lot of scaremongering about our boys serving under American command.

"The whole family is worried sick. Whenever Iraq is mentioned on the news we all look at each other and well up. If our lads are going out there they should be under British command."

Mrs Taylor Rice, 45, who also has a 22-year-old daughter Leanne, is not a stranger to waiting for loved ones to return from conflict.

She said: "Stuart's father John was involved in the Falklands conflict and I was five months pregnant with Leanne at the time. All the wives pulled together and supported each other.

"It feels different this time because there is so much uncertainty and we will not be able to make contact with Stuart for weeks."

Mrs Taylor Rice, who works for a Southampton legal firm, claimed that there were many mothers from the city feeling the same way as their sons and daughters prepared to go to fight for the first time.

She said: "Within his battalion there are at least six other lads from Southampton.

"You will probably think these are the ramblings of an over-protective mother but I ask any other mother - wouldn't you feel the same?

"I would like the people at home to spare a thought for them. They are the best and we want them home."

It is not the first time the former Hampshire Regiment has served in Iraq. The 1st Battalion Princess of Wales Royal Regiment was posted to Maysan, about 100 miles north of Basra in April. They should return by the end of this month.