Corporal Douglas Hughes, the fifth New Zealand soldier to die in Afghanistan, was buried with full military ceremony at the small Northland settlement of Pakotai today.
Corporal Hughes, 26, died while off duty last week in what has been described as a non-combat fatality.
The Defence Force has begun
an investigation into the cause of his death, which has not been disclosed.
Questions about the young man's death were off-limits for the media yesterday as military personnel concentrated on supporting Corporal Hughes' family and acknowledging he had died while serving overseas.
Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman were among about 400 people who packed Te Terai o Rahiri Marae for the funeral.
Defence Force Chief Lt Gen Rhys Jones and the commanding officer of the 1st battalion of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment in which Corporal Hughes served, Lt Col Glenn King,
