The Kiwi soldier killed serving in the British Army in Afghanistan has been named as Private John "Jack" Howard from Wellington.
The British High Commissioner says the death of the New Zealander is "very sad and deeply regrettable".
Private Jack Howard died on Sunday after he was shot on patrol in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province, a spokesman from Britain's Ministry of Defence said. He is reported to have been killed by "friendly fire".
The BBC reported two other British soldiers were injured.
British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell confirmed the parents of the soldier, who live in New Zealand, had been spoken to by the British defence attache and had asked for privacy while extended family members were told. Private Jack Howard is a former student of Wellington College.
Just two months ago a Whitireia journalism student interviewed Howard who was back home in New Zealand for a visit. He was due to return to Afghanistan for his second tour.
Private Howard told the reporter that he joined the paratroopers after replying to an ad on the internet. During his three years of service he had been posted in the United States, Kenya, Norway and France.
First reports suggested Private Howard, from the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment, died as a result of "an attack on an insurgent position by a US aircraft, requested by and agreed with British forces on the ground".
An investigation has been launched.
Advertisement
"The High Commission will now keep track of the investigation and as further information is appropriate for release we will make sure it is managed appropriately," Treadell said.
"This is a very sad and deeply regrettable incident - any death is. In this particular instance it is one that affects both our countries and we will work together at an official level."
Task Force Helmand's Lieutenant Colonel David Eastman said the soldier was part of an operation aiming to increase security in the Nad 'Ali district of Helmand province.
"He has made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the people of Nad 'Ali from insurgent intimidation and defending his country from the threat of terrorism; no more could be asked of any soldier. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him," Lt Col Eastman said.
A New Zealand Defence Force spokesman confirmed the soldier was a New Zealander but could not provide further details.
The dead man was the fifth New Zealand-born soldier to die in action in Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Timothy Andrew O'Donnell, 28, of Feilding died on August 4 when his three-vehicle patrol was attacked with explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire in north-east Bamiyan Province. Two of his comrades were wounded.
In March last year, a New Zealand-born soldier in the Australian army, Corporal Mathew Hopkins, 21, of Christchurch, was shot dead in an intense fire-fight with Taliban insurgents near the village of Kakarak, 12km north of the Australian base at Tarin Kowt.
Former Aucklander Sean Patrick McCarthy, 25, a member of the Australian Special Air Service Regiment was killed when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb in 2008 and Labour leader Phil Goff's nephew, United States army Captain Matthew Ferrara, 24, was killed in a 2007 ambush.
Email this article Print this article Text size+-more...
Share on Twitter
z
