Lt Col James Cowan reportedly sent a series of concerned emails

The soldiers were moved from Basra in southern Iraq to an area near Baghdad, where they have suffered three deaths.

Lt Col James Cowan said he expected "every lunatic terrorist from miles around to descend on us like bees to honey", the Daily Telegraph reported.

He also said: "I hope the government knows what it has got itself into.

"I'm not sure they fully appreciate the risks."

The 1st Battalion of the Black Watch formed a large part of the 850-strong deployment which replaced US marines at Camp Dogwood, 20 miles (32km) from Baghdad, eight days ago.

But a combined suicide and mortar attack on Thursday killed three soldiers and injured eight more.

'Grimly prophetic'

The Telegraph reported Lt Col Cowan as saying: "The marines we have taken over from have taken nine dead and 197 wounded since July. I hope we do better."

BBC correspondent Ben Brown said the army refused to confirm the reports, saying they would not comment on private e-mails.

Our correspondent added that if the e-mails are genuine they are proving to be "grimly prophetic".

The latest attack brings to 73 the number of UK military personnel killed in Iraq - 31 of those as a result of enemy attacks.

The Black Watch battle group comprises 500 men and 50 Warrior armoured fighting vehicles.