Two Black Watch soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan have been named.

Sergeant Stuart Millar, 40, from Inverness and Private Kevin Elliott, 24, from Dundee, were killed while on foot patrol in Afghanistan on Monday.

The soldiers were members of the The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. The duo were killed in the explosion while on a foot patrol north of Lashkar Gah district, southern Helmand, the Ministry of Defence said.

First Minister Alex Salmond, Perth SNP MSP Roseanna Cunningham and the SNP's Pete Wishart, who is the MP for the area, have all paid tribute to the men.

It has emerged the Pte Elliot almost left the army earlier this year, but decided to stay before being sent to Afghanistan.
 
Sgt Millar, known as Gus, joined the army in 2000 after serving in the Territorial Army and served in Northern Ireland, Falkland Islands, Cyprus and Iraq.

His family said: "Gus always wanted to be a soldier from a very young age. He passionately enjoyed his job and often talked fondly about his colleagues and friends. He was very brave and is a credit to both our family and the Army. We are really proud of him as a father, son, brother and soldier."

The mortar fire controller, who was the oldest soldier in his company, leaves a wife, Jillian, and daughter Grace. He was killed with Pte Elliott in an explosion believed to have been caused by a rocket propelled grenade.

In a television interview conducted earlier this year, Sgt Millar said: "There's a jock fighting spirit within everybody within this compound and within the whole battalion. You can't take it out of the man - it's always in there.

"And once the bullets start flying and the bombs start landing, the blood starts rising, the hairs and the hackle start to come up. You get angry and aggressive and you want to go and do your business."

Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Cartwright said of Sgt Millar: "He was one of a very select few characters in the Battalion that I could sound out for 'ground truth', due to his friendship, honesty, integrity and humour. He was a wonderfully kind and dependable man: the solid rock amongst the shingle.

"It was typical of the man: in the thick of the action, professional expertise to the fore, combined with his wonderfully positive and humorous style. But he had a bite when required, and the Jocks knew not to cross the line. He had a truly wonderful sense of humour and it is this facet of this great man that we will all miss the most."

Pte Elliott had previously served in Iraq and Northern Ireland.

His family said: "Kevin was a loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, uncle and cousin who will be sorely missed by the whole family.

“Kevin was the life and soul of the party who lived life to the full. He chose to go to Afghanistan to be with his mates and to give his life for them. The whole family loved Kevin and we are devastated by his death."

Lieutenant Colonel Cartwright said: "Pte Elliott was an awesome fighting Jock, who was very much in his comfort zone here on demanding operations in Afghanistan.

"He lived his life one day at a time and it is fair to say that he did not especially enjoy 'peacetime soldiering' - like many a Jock that has gone before, he was a loveable rogue.

"He was on the verge of leaving the army earlier this year, but his inclination to be in the thick of the action was too tempting and he caught the last transport to Afghanistan with his mates. He loved operations and he was a big team player."