Editorial: Les was giant of a man

World War 2 veteran Les Munro, the last Dambuster, has passed away.

The public outpouring of sympathy that followed the passing of the last Dambusters pilot Les Munro this week included eulogies that deservedly went to the core of a well-lived life.

His generous heart that never stopped giving, finally gave out in the early hours of Tuesday in Tauranga Hospital.

Age did little to diminish his great abilities, and community leaders got it exactly right when they described Les as a gentleman who put service before self.

Nothing seemed beyond Les' huge abilities, whether it was doubling as a farmer and five-term Mayor of Waitomo, or his unstinting efforts in so-called retirement in Tauranga.

In later years, he dedicated himself to making sure that the deeds of the thousands of young airman who perished in the skies over Europe during World War II would never be forgotten. Les' great act of selfless generosity was to sell his war medals for $150,000 to ensure the maintenance of the Bomber Command Memorial in London.

On a local level, Tauranga's Classic Flyers aviation museum knew it could always count on Les for support.

One of my abiding recollections was watching Les at Tauranga's air shows, sitting in a corner of a marquee patiently signing programmes and models of the Lancaster bombers that he used to fly - purchased from the adjoining stall.

Although his old hand was tiring from the hundreds of pen flourishes, Les never skipped a beat. He always looked up and gave a kindly word to the admiring and sometimes over-awed person, with the modest charge for his signature helping fund Classic Flyers.

My personal account of his generosity was when Otumoetai College parents ran a fundraising auction many years ago to help send students on a drama trip to England. I hit on the idea of buying a Dambusters book and asking Les to sign it.

He instantly agreed, even though I doubt he remembered me from my interviews as a journalist.

I was invited into his 3rd Ave home where we chatted before he signed the book, with a photo to lend the signature authenticity. Needless to say, bidding was keen and the book sold for many hundreds of dollars.

Les Munro was a giant of a man in every sense of the world.