Injured soldiers escort O'Donnell's body home

The hearse with Tim O'Donnell's body drives across Grafton Bridge to Auckland Hospital. Photo / Doug Sherring

The body of New Zealand's first soldier to die in Afghanistan will be returned to his family today in a military ceremony.

The journey home for Lieutenant Tim O'Donnell, 28, will end with his funeral this Wednesday at the Linton Army Camp.

Yesterday, O'Donnell's casket and the two soldiers wounded alongside him in Afghanistan, Lance Corporal Matthew Ball, 24, and Private Allister Baker, 23, arrived in Auckland on board a Royal New Zealand Air Force 757.

The three soldiers were part of a convoy on patrol in Bamiyan Province when they were hit by a homemade bomb and fired at from two positions.

Friends and family of the soldiers plus New Zealand Defence top brass, many wearing poppies, gathered on the tarmac as the 757 drew near to Whenuapai Air Force.

Family members including Ball's partner Maria Howe, holding their 18-month-old daughter, Alicia, and their 4-year-old son, Daniel, crossed the tarmac to the plane to be reunited with him.

As they did, Daniel turned and waved to other family members before following his mum up the steps on to the plane.

The two injured soldiers were carried by stretcher from the plane into waiting ambulances.

More extended family members reunited with them at the ambulances before the men were taken to hospital.

The Air Force plane was then pulled into a hangar and the coffin was taken from the plane.

Army chief General Major Rhys Jones said O'Donnell's family were given time to be with the casket before it was placed in a hearse and adorned with a bouquet of flowers including lilies and roses.

"The family have requested a formal military service. The family know Tim wanted to be in the military for a long time and this is a fitting send off for him."

O'Donnell's body was then taken to Auckland City Hospital for an autopsy.

Jones said Ball and Baker would undergo psychiatric assessments and tests for post-traumatic stress disorder and would be given time to recover, both physically and mentally.

"This has been a tragic week for the Army but it is unfortunately one of the realities about life in the Army," Jones said.

An investigation into the attack will look at anything that could have been done better.