A YOUNG Okehampton soldier has started his deployment in the Iraqui city of Basra — just as his older brother completed his tour of duty there. The paths of Ricky and Stuart Moore crossed briefly in the strife-torn city. Stuart, 27, of the Devon and Dorset Regiment, was presented with his Iraqi Operational Service Medal last week, while at the same time Ricky, 20, began six months with the Royal Logistics Corps in Basra. Proud mother Diana Moore has endured a difficult year, anxiously following news of worsening factional violence in Iraq. And that tension is due to be prolonged with her younger son's posting to the strife-torn southern Iraqi city. Mrs Moore said: 'Ever since they were tiny, they wanted to join the army. They wanted to follow in their grandfather's footsteps.' Grandfather John Moore also fought for his country — sadly he died six months ago, but Mrs Moore said he had been 'very proud' of his grandsons. Mrs Moore said she was happy her boys' paths had crossed, albeit briefly: 'They were over there together for three weeks. They don't tell me much about what it is like over there, but when Stuart came back, he said to me, "You don't have to worry about Ricky, he is okay". 'I am very proud of them, but that doesn't stop me worrying about them.' She said the brothers had always been very close and 'watched out for each other'. Stuart and Ricky are former pupils of Okehampton Primary and Okehampton College. Their mother said both boys had taken their first steps to joining the forces by serving as cadets. 'When Stuart was young he joined the Air Cadets in Okehampton, and Ricky went for the Army Cadets,' she said. As Stuart's regiment is being disbanded, he is set to start a new challenge soon with a long-term posting in Germany. But Mrs Moore said she was concerned, Stuart may yet have to go back to the Middle East. 'Stuart has said he thinks he might have to go to Basra again, but I hope they will be able to bring the troops home soon,' she said. Mrs Moore said: 'I am getting ready to start sending Ricky's parcels out for Christmas. People ask me, "How are the boys?" and people write to them too. 'I do send them out things and they try to phone home when they can, but with the situation over there it is difficult. It can be weeks between hearing from them, which I find nerve-wracking.' Stuart received his service medal for completing the seven-month tour of duty in Iraq on November 18. Ricky is now three weeks into a six-month stint with the medical corps in Basra. Former mayor of Okehampton Cllr Tony Leech first met Ricky when he became the mayor's cadet two years. Cllr Leech said Ricky was a very capable and dedicated young man whom he was sure would handle the challenges of serving in Iraq well. Cllr Leech said: 'Ricky was a joy to work with and a great credit to Okehampton.'