Tribute to a fallen hero | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Lieutenant Tim O'Donnell, the young New Zealand soldier slain thousands of kilometres from home, was farewelled under  cool, clear skies at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North yesterday.

In a solemn ceremony, that at times was marked by humorous accounts of his exploits,
hundreds of family including his parents _ former Masterton policeman Mark O'Donnell and his wife Maryanne (nee Farmer), who was born and raised in Greytown _ friends, comrades and service personnel paid their heartfelt and teary tributes.

They were tributes to a man  described as a born soldier, confident in his ability, a natural leader, outgoing, energetic and principled, but who also  was
scared of spiders.

An estimated 2000 people attended the military funeral service for Lieutenant O'Donnell,
28, of the 2/1 Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, who was killed when his patrol was attacked while on a routine patrol in  Bamiyan province, in northeastern Afghanistan last week.

  At the same time, services were held in Wellington and at  Burnham Military Camp, and
flags on all government build ings around the country flew at half-mast.

Lieutenant O'Donnell, who at the age of 25 was the youngest officer to be awarded a Distinguished Service Decoration,was the first New Zealand soldier to die in combat since 2000.

Lance Corporal Matthew Ball, 24, and Private Allister Baker,23, were wounded in the attack in Bamiyan, as was an Afghan  interpreter. All four were in the lead patrol vehicle, which was destroyed by a roadside bomb.

The coffin, draped in the New Zealand flag, was made by a family friend and painted in the green and red colours of his regiment. Two RNZAF Iroquois helicopters performed a fly-past at the start of the service, where Prime Minister John Key said the New Zealand Army had lost a fine young officer, his family had lost a son and brother, and his comrades a good mate.

Lieutenant O'Donnell was a man who recognised the dangers of serving in Afghanistan but wanted to be there anyway to help the people of the province of Bamiyan, Mr Key said.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and British Prime Minister David Cameron had
expressed their sympathies at the loss of Lieutenant O'Donnell.

Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand and Chief of the Defence Force, Lieutenant-
General Jerry Mateparae, paid  glowing tributes. -NZPA