Poppies, tears and a children's tribute

By PAUL YANDALL

As mourners filed past Leonard Manning's grave, many paused to let fall a poppy - or a tear.

Private Leonard William Manning, aged 24, was laid to rest on Saturday at Rangiriri, near his hometown of Te Kauwhata, after dying in combat in East Timor a week ago today.

He was the first New Zealand soldier killed in action in 30 years.

About 800 mourners had earlier attended his funeral service at his old school, Te Kauwhata College, to comfort his grieving family.

They included Prime Minister Helen Clark, Army Chief of Staff Major-General Maurice Dodson and Australian High Commissioner Robert Cotton.

Among the most moving tributes was one in uncertain English from the schoolchildren of a small East Timorese village, Bobonaro.

"We were greatly distressed hearing of happened. We wish to express our greatest sympathy."

Private Manning's 22-year-old sister, Laura, said during the service: "There are no words on this Earth to do you justice, Leonard.

"You were always the best you could be, and I am so proud of you - I always have been, you know that."

Private Manning's mother, Linda Manning, read out her son's last letter home. Written on July 13, it arrived three days after his death.

He spoke of the friendly East Timorese, of the improving weather at his base, and of how he was looking forward to a break.

"Only two more months and I'll be on leave for 10 days - I think I'll sleep most of it."

During his leave he planned to visit the Australian Army recruiting office. He wrote that the $27,000 he earned in the New Zealand Army would rise to $41,000 with the Australians, and all money earned in East Timor would be tax free.

The Prime Minister, visibly shaken at the beginning of her eulogy, had stern words for the killers and the Indonesian Government.

"What we all share is absolute repugnance at what happened to Private Manning. NZ has conveyed that strong message to Indonesia.

"We want the militias disbanded by Indonesia and we want Private Manning's murderers tracked down and brought to justice."

After the 90-minute service, the coffin, adorned with a bayonet and a lemon-squeezer Army hat, was loaded on to a 25-pounder gun carriage and escorted to the cemetery by soldiers, including many from Private Manning's unit, the 2/1 Battalion of the NZ Infantry Regiment. Many were in tears.

Private Manning was buried with full military honours.

As the coffin was lowered into the ground, three volleys of rifle shots echoed out and a bugler played the Last Post and Reveille before his comrades saluted him with a powerful haka.