A SA Police spokesperson said a report is being prepared for the state coroners office on the death of Lance Corporal Mason Edwards, 30, who was killed during a night exercise using live ammunition on Tuesday last week at the base.

He suffered gunshot wounds to the head during mission specific training with the Special Operations Task Group in prepartaion for deployment to Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Edwards had served in Afghanistan twice before.

The soldiers were undertaking an exercise involving confined spaces and pretend hostage situations.

A second soldier from the Incident Response Regiment – who remains unnamed – was also seriously injured with shrapnel wounds to his arms.

Full civilian and military investigations into the fatality are underway.

The Defence Force has since sent a trauma team to the commando unit to provide support and counselling to fellow soldiers.

The unit will still be sent to Aghanistan.