Soldier dies in road crash

Private Tahuna Tahapeehi was looking forward to a posting to Egypt. Photo / NZDF

A 21-year-old soldier and new father died in a road crash outside the Linton Army Camp in Manawatu yesterday - the fourth military death in two days.

The Defence Force was last night mourning the loss of Private Tahuna Tahapeehi, who died in a collision between his motorcycle and a car driven by a 20-year-old woman also in the Army.

The woman, who is 33 weeks pregnant, was uninjured but was treated in the Army hospital for shock.

Private Tahapeehi's death follows Sunday's Iroquois tragedy in which three Air Force personnel were killed when their helicopter crashed north of Wellington while on its way to Anzac Day ceremonies in the capital.

Private Tahapeehi's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rob Krushka, said he was a professional, well-liked soldier who would be sorely missed.

"Everyone is just confused and feeling this great sense of loss."

Defence Force spokesman Major Kristian Dunne said many of the Army personnel at Linton knew the Air Force victims and the latest death added to their pain.

"The accident on its own is tragic - any death is a tragic event. But to have it happen in such proximity to what happened [on Sunday] makes it that much harder for our people.

"It also means that we need to band together more and provide support that's needed."

Private Tahapeehi was about to go home to Te Awamutu for the unveiling of his father's headstone and to go duck-shooting with mates.

He was riding along Camp Rd, outside the Linton military camp near Palmerston North where he lived with partner Sammie Tapara and their 4-month-old son, Arikirau Wharepouri, when he and the car collided at the Bell Rd intersection about 9.45am.

Private Tahapeehi, or "Tars", was a driver in the logistics regiment and was looking forward to a posting in Egypt, his mother, Mitch Tahapeehi, told the Herald last night.

"He was really excited about it," she said.

Yesterday, Mrs Tahapeehi paid tribute to the oldest of her four children, laughing as she described his mischievous ways. "He just used to drive everyone mad," she said.

But she was glad he could now be with his dad Tama Tahapeehi and good friend or "soulmate" Nathan Portas, who died four years ago.

"They grew up together and were going to join the Army together," she said.

Mrs Tahapeehi's husband, a flight sergeant, was an aviation technician and died 10 months ago after a long battle against "bugs" picked up during his overseas postings.

He "specialised in Iroquois" and would have been saddened by the Anzac Day triple tragedy, Mrs Tahapeehi said.

She said "Tars" had always wanted to be a soldier and was hoping to join the Special Air Service in a few years.

He had been a driver at the Linton base since returning from a six-month deployment in East Timor last year - just in time for his son's birth.

"The baby came two days after he got back ... It was like he was the only man in the world that had a baby, he couldn't keep his mouth shut," said Mrs Tahapeehi.

He and Ms Tapara - a supply technician and warehouse manager - had been together for five years and in the Army for four.

Private Tahapeehi graduated from Te Awamutu College - where he excelled as a waka ama paddler - in 2006 and went straight into the Army.

A memorial service is planned at the Linton base today and his body will be taken home to Kihikihi near Te Awamutu tonight.

Whanau hope to have his body at Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia tomorrow before the tangi on Friday.