Slain soldier coming home today

Lieutenant Tim O'Donnell. Photo / Supplied

The body of a New Zealand soldier killed in Afghanistan is due back in New Zealand today, accompanied by two of his injured comrades.

Lieutenant Timothy O'Donnell, 28, of Feilding, died when a convoy carrying 12 soldiers was caught in a bomb explosion and ambush while on patrol in Bamiyan province on Wednesday (NZT).

Lance Corporal Matthew Ball, 24, Private Allister Baker, 23, and an Afghan interpreter were wounded.

Lance Corporal Ball had burns and cuts to his limbs, and Private Baker had a broken foot and burns to his left arm. All were in the leading vehicle of the patrol, which was destroyed by an improvised explosive device planted beside the road.

Those travelling behind in the convoy were attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire.

New Zealand Defence Force officials yesterday said the flight carrying the men was due to arrive at Whenuapai Air Force Base in Auckland, where Lieutenant O'Donnell's body would be passed to the Auckland coroner for an autopsy.

He would be flown to Ohakea Air Base, near Palmerston North, on Sunday. His arrival will be marked by an official ramp ceremony, in which his casket will be carried from the aircraft, and given into the care of the New Zealand Army.

Air Vice-Marshal Peter Stockwell yesterday said defence staff had been working closely with Lieutenant O'Donnell's family in an attempt to meet their wishes.

New Zealand troops were maintaining their presence in Bamiyan but some resources had been diverted to repatriate the soldiers, and to investigate the blast, he said.

A team was investigating at the attack site, but the Defence Force in New Zealand had not had a lot of communication with the investigators due to the remote location.

"It's a painstaking process that they conduct initially, and they have to be mindful of the security environment they're in given the nature of the situation up in the northeast of Bamiyan."

Prime Minister John Key said an independent court of inquiry into Lieutenant O'Donnell's death would give advice to the military on tactics, procedures and equipment.

Losing a New Zealand soldier in combat was a serious issue and an inquiry was needed, Mr Key said at the Pacific Island Forum in Vanuatu yesterday.

"We also have a lot of people stationed in Bamiyan and want to make sure they are being afforded all the protection that we would expect them to be," Mr Key said.

The Defence Force has 106 personnel serving with the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamiyan.

The 16th rotation arrived in April and will remain in there for about six months.

Lieutenant O'Donnell was farewelled in a simple but sombre and poignant ceremony in Bamiyan yesterday, where red poppies were worn in his honour.

Improvised explosive devices have accounted for about 800 of the 1100 US combat deaths in Afghanistan.

Tonight, the All Blacks, the Australian rugby team and 39,000 rugby fans will pay tribute before the kickoff of the Bledisloe and Tri-Nations test in Christchurch to Lieutenant O'Donnell and to former All Black Eric Tindill, who died on Sunday aged 99.