Barry O'Donnell said many people had differing views about the worth of New Zealand's involvement in Afghanistan but that was irrelevant to the family of slain soldier Lieutenant Tim O'Donnell.
His nephew had been keen to go to the war zone to make a positive difference.
"What is relevant is what Tim thought -- he wanted to be there, he actually was very keen to be there and he felt that what he was doing was the right thing to do," he said.
"He didn't feel he was going over there to shoot people, he was going over there to protect the local people.
"He was going over there to give them an opportunity to have the things that we take for granted."
A sombre gathering of family, friends and military personnel was at Ohakea this afternoon to receive the young Feilding officer's body back to his home region, the Manawatu.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules (RNZAF) carrying Lt O'Donnell arrived at the air force base at 4.05pm, concluding a long final journey home for the 28-year-old decorated officer, who died in an ambush in Bamiyan province, Afghanistan, almost a week ago.
His body had returned to New Zealand yesterday and was in Auckland overnight for an autopsy.
About 25 family and friends of Lt O'Donnell were at the air base, along with dignitaries led by Prime Minister John Key and his wife, Bronagh.
High-ranking military personnel, including the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Jerry Mataparae, and New Zealand Army chief Major General Rhys Jones, were joined by one of the soldiers injured the clash in which Lt O'Donnell died.
A bearded Private Allister Baker, 23, who suffered burns and a broken left foot, sat stoically in a wheelchair, swaddled in blankets.
He and Lance Corporal Matthew Ball, 24, who was also injured, had accompanied their dead friend on the homeward RNZAF flight from the Middle East, which landed in Auckland yesterday, and intend to be at his funeral on Wednesday.
Lt O'Donnell's body was handed from the care of the air force to the army in a ramp ceremony but, before that, immediate family were escorted on to the aircraft. The group was led by Lt O'Donnell's parents, Mark and Maryanne, who were followed by their other children, Anna and Andrew -- the latter having flown home from Scotland.
Thirty minutes after landing, the casket was carried out of the rear of the aircraft at slow march, passing between two honour guards, one of six men at the back of the plane then between 14 from his unit, the 2/1 (correct) Infantry Battalion, based at Burnham camp, Christchurch.
An army cultural group performed a rousing haka before the casket went into a waiting hearse, which was slowly driven from the tarmac followed by family members.
Lt O'Donnell will be accorded a full military funeral service, during which his casket will be carried on a gun carriage, at Linton army camp, near Palmerston North.
Until then his body will lie in Feilding, where he grew up and where his family lives.
He is the first New Zealander to die in action in Afghanistan in the seven years our troops have served in the war-torn country as part of a reconstruction effort.
In 2008 Lt O'Donnell was awarded the Distinguished Service Decoration for his valour while serving as a 25-year-old platoon commander in East Timor.
NZPA
