Corporal Mark Hill, 47, of Brockworth, near Gloucester, died while on a surprise holiday in Cancun, Mexico, with his wife earlier this month.

He had returned from a six-months in Basra where he won praise for bravery after helping evacuate casualties.

His wife Lesley said: "I just feel so proud of him and what he did."

Mr Hill was in Basra with the Rifle Volunteers, attached to the Royal Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Berkshire Regiment.

'Dream holiday'

As well as helping casualties from a vehicle hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, he had also helped save the life of his colour sergeant who had been shot twice.

The father of two secretly booked the two-week break as part of a surprise joint birthday present for his wife of 23 years.

But at lunchtime on 15 November, a week into the dream holiday, Mr Hill had a heart attack and died in hospital that day.

Mrs Hill, also 47, said: "When I consider what he had been through in Iraq and what he must have seen, I cannot believe that he survived all that but died on our holiday."

Mr Hill also served in the Grenadier Guards from 1976 to 1979.

He had been a TA soldier for 21 years and had served in Northern Ireland and the Sudan.

Lieutenant Colonel James Hall, Commanding Officer of the Rifle Volunteers, also paid tribute to Mr Hill.