Slain soldier's comrades to make memorial visit

By KEVIN TAYLOR

Private Leonard Manning, killed in East Timor in July, will be remembered next month when his entire unit visits the Waikato to pay its respects to their comrade.

The soldiers of Private Manning's 100-strong Bravo Company of the 2/1 Battalion, fresh from a six-month peacekeeping stint in East Timor, will fly to Hamilton on a special transport flight arranged by the Air Force.

They will meet Private Manning's family and hold a memorial service for their colleague, the first New Zealand soldier to die in combat since the Vietnam War.

Private Manning, aged 24, was killed in a gunfight with militiamen on July 24 near the border with West Timor.

He was buried with full military honours at Rangiriri, near his home town of Te Kauwhata.

The comrades he served with in East Timor have not had a chance yet to say a proper goodbye, said Army spokesman Captain Kendall Langston.

He said the plan was for the soldiers to visit the Waikato from November 24 to 26. The visit had been requested by the soldiers themselves.

"It's a chance to sit back, and reflect and grieve.

"They could not before. It's just time for the guys to grieve, and we don't want a lot of spotlight on it."

Bravo Company will fly to Hamilton the day after the battalion's homecoming parade in Christchurch.

Captain Langston said details of the trip were yet to be arranged, but it would include a memorial service, a visit to Private Manning's grave, and time with his family.

The commander of the Burnham-based 2/1 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Martin Dransfield, said he hoped he would be able to take part in the unit's visit.

Herald Online feature: Timor mission

UN Transitional Administration in E Timor