English-born John Robert Tyrrell (53) had been an engineer on a road construction project in the Kirkuk area but was gunned down, along with a South African work colleague and an Iraqi driver, as they were leaving their residence on Monday.

Yesterday his New Plymouth brother Dan Tyrrell and wife Glenda confirmed that John Tyrrell was the Kiwi killed in the drive-by shooting.

Tyrrell said it was typical of John's nature that he should be working in a place like Iraq. He had left his Thai wife Fon and three children in Thailand last November to work in the war-torn Middle East country, believing it was a worthwhile project and that there would be adequate security.

Tyrrell, who has an engineering business, said the family emigrated from England to Taranaki 32 years ago and that John had worked on a number of projects in Taranaki, including the Motunui synthetic petrol plant, and on similar projects around the world.

They intend holding a memorial service for John in New Plymouth and joining Fon and her children in Thailand for a Buddhist funeral and cremation.