British troops in ferocious river battle

Full details emerged today of a dramatic river battle between British troops and Iraqi soldiers in which one Royal Marine displayed remarkable courage when he saved the lives of his comrades after their river launch was ambushed.

One of the crew later died after being evacuated, but senior officers said that without the corporal's " outstandingly brave" actions more lives would have been lost.

The ambush came during a day which saw several other Royal Marine commandos wounded during fierce clashes with Iraqi troops, as British forces tightened their grip on the outskirts of Basra.

As 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines patrolled waterways on the Al Faw peninsula, two of their landing craft came under fire on the river Zubayr. The wheelhouse of one was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and heavy machinegun rounds, seriously injuring three Marines.

Another Marine was flung into the river as the craft began to spin, and a comrade dived in to rescue him. The corporal fought to regain control of the craft as the Iraqis continued to fire. With no thought of his own safety he dragged his comrades behind a bulkhead and attempted to recover those in the water. But he was driven back by heavy firing.

The men were recovered but one of the most seriously injured later died at a field hospital. Today he was named as CR Maddison of 40 Commando. Another Marine was saved by his flak jacket: the buckled ceramic plate inside bore witness to a direct hit. An officer said: "What this corporal did was outstandingly brave. There would have been more fatalities without this corporal's actions."

Hours earlier Royal Marines fought for 15 hours to capture the Basra suburb of Abu Al Khasib as Iraqi troops backed by militia fighters put up some of the fiercest resistance seen in the war.

By the end of the day 200 Iraqi troops had been captured, including a number of senior officers and 20 tanks and armoured cars destroyed. At least 14 British troops were wounded in the operation, including seven when mortar fire from their own side fell short. Men from 40 Commando backed by two tank squadrons and air support launched the attack on Abu Al Khasib under cover of darkness in what is being seen as a dress rehearsal for the coming battle for Basra city itself.

The battle illustrated some of the problems faced by coalition forces in securing control of towns and villages in southern Iraq, where Iraqi troops are wearing civilian clothes and adopting guerrilla tactics.

Surrounded by smiling crowds at the end of the day's fighting Major Justin Holt, 36, of Alpha Company, said: "Any of these men could have been shooting at us a few hours ago. What can you do when paramilitaries decide to take the best cover they can and become 'civilians'?

"We're going to have to come back in here again and find them tomorrow or the next day. The battle here is not over yet. Not at all."

British forces have surrounded Basra but not entered it, hoping it can be wrested from the control of Saddam's supporters without the need to fight street by street. However eyewitness accounts from inside the city suggest Saddam's regime is still very much in control.