Soldiers volunteered to be in the AFM's "C" company, which was the company the late Gunner Matthew Psaila formed part of. a court was told today.

The company carries out special operations and humanitarian work, including service abroad, Col. Martin Bondin, from the AFM's Human Resources said.

Testifying in the case of Lieutenant Christian Vella and Lance Bombardier Marvic Peregin, who are pleading not guilty to causing the death of 19-year-old Gunner Psaila, Col. Bondin said that recent work carried out by the C company included an EU monitoring mission in Georgia, anti-piracy work in Somalia and assistance with illegal immigration issues in Greece.

He said the army also had the A company, which provided airport security, the B company, which ensured the country's safety and the Gozo Company.

Gunner Psaila died from hypothermia after finding himself in difficulty while wading through very cold and murky water beneath a bridge in Mosta on February 13, 2009 at Chadwick Lakes.

The soldiers were there for what is known as a route march and were split into two groups of 10 and one of nine, Gunner Psaila being in the first group that went into the water.

He died in hospital on February 16.

The case was deferred to May 27 when Col. Ian Ruggier is expected to testify.