THE father of a former Tavistock College head-boy has spoken of his pride for his son ? the youngest RAF fast-jet pilot to be serving in the Gulf war.

24-year-old Pete Beilby was deployed to the Middle East in January with Norfolk-based 31 Squadron.

He flies a GR4 Tornado and will play a key role in the military effort to defeat Saddam Hussein?s regime.

His father, Charlie, a former military pilot who now trains British Airways pilots, said he had some idea what his son was going through.

?I?ve got a fair idea what he?s doing out there, so it?s quite worrying for us,? he said. ?We last heard from Pete on Sunday week when he rang us. He said he was fine.

?We?re all behind him and we hope that it doesn?t take too long to get the job done in Iraq. I?m really proud of him. He?s done very well.?

Charlie said Pete had always wanted to be a fighter pilot and had been awarded the highly prestigious sword of honour and the sword of merit during his training at Cranwell.

He said Pete?s mother Jilly, his brothers Nick, 26, and Oliver, 22, and sister Helen, 18, were trying to avoid watching too much of the 24-hour television coverage of the war.

?We try not to see too much of it, but we keep track of the main developments,? he said.

Another West Devon father with every reason to be proud is Tavistock town clerk Roger Howard, whose son Ashley, 20, is serving in the Iraq conflict with the 1st Parachute Regiment.

Ashley was also deployed to the Gulf in January, and last spoke to his family three weeks ago on the day before war broke out.

?We heard from him the day before they crossed the border,? said Roger, who lives in Yelverton. ?He said he was looking forward to going in, and couldn?t wait to get away from the sand in Kuwait.

?He said he doesn?t ever want to go anywhere near a beach again when he comes home!?

Ashley went to Plymouth College before fending off stiff competition to win a place at Welbeck College where he studied his A-levels. He joined his regiment about a year ago.

Roger, who was an army colonel for 33 years, said Ashley had been brought up in a military environment and had always dreamt of becoming a soldier.

He said: ?My wife is in the TA, and I think because we have both been through it, we are possibly less worried than a lot of other families with relatives serving in Iraq. But, like any parent, you do worry about your child.

?He has always wanted to join the army. We?re extremely proud of him and it?s always nice to meet people in Tavistock who support him.?

Roger said he and his wife send a parcel out to the Gulf once a week, containing books and sweets for the troops.