The New Zealand SAS trooper killed in Afghanistan has been named as Corporal Doug Grant.
He was among 16 SAS soldiers who responded to a Taliban attack on British Council offices in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Friday.
[image:2821:third:right]Corporal Grant, 41, was hit by a bullet fired by an insurgent from a rifle or a light machine gun and died en route to Bagram Air Base hospital.
The Defence Force says he had served in the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment and Royal New Zealand Engineers before joining the SAS.
He had been a soldier for 21 years and had served twice in East Timor, once in the former Yugoslavia and was on his second deployment to Afghanistan.
Corporal Grant was married and the couple have a seven-year-old daughter and five-year-old son. He was based at Linton.
His body will be brought back to New Zealand on a commercial flight this week.
Circumstances of death
The Defence Force on Monday revealed more of the circumstances in which Corporal Grant died.
Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Rhys Jones said the soldier was hit by a bullet which entered his body via his armpit, pierced his heart and exited through the other side of his body.
He said the body armour used is designed to protect the heart and vital organs as much as possible, but due to the need for mobility, it is not possible for it to fully protect the body.
Lieutenant General Jones said attempts were made to save Corporal Grant, but his injuries were not survivable.
As he was being put on the helicopter medics did feel a pulse, but at least once during the evacuation Corporal Grant had to be resuscitated. However, by the time the helicopter had arrived at the American military hospital, he had died.
The Defence Force said the insurgent who fired the shot was subsequently killed by the Afghan Crisis Response Unit.
In a statement, his family said Corporal Grant had absolute faith in his friends and colleagues, and in what he was doing in Afghanistan. The family said they were incredibly proud of his achievements.
Prime Minister John Key visited Corporal Grant's widow, Tina, on Saturday and said the death was a tragedy. Mr Key is to attend the funeral.
