Category: ANZAC Day

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Life in the South: Recent Images in the Life of a Southern Man June 13

Ocean Ridge Kaikoura. A great spot.

Kaikoura local. Chilling out.

Kaikoura. The coast north.

Mt Diamond. Hunter Hills South Canterbury. Home.

Redcliffs Chrischurch. Sunrise in June 13

Port Hills looking down into Lyttleton. May 13

Yomping it with the Army. Otago May 13

Sunrise over South Shore Christchurch, May 13

These boots were made for walking. Army May 13.

Roast lamb. Gold!

A Southern Man giving an ANZAC address. 25 April 3013.

Te Papa, Wellington. April 13

Hunter Hills. Garden at home. April 13

On the move. May 13.

Back yard. Hunter. May 13

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"Keeping the Peace" – Someones Got to Do It!

A foreword Greg wrote in my book that means a lot.

As you go through life people tend to come and go. Some mates stay a short time and others are a constant & stay forever. These long term friends know a lot about you (some would say too much so you better stay close) and have shared lifes journey. If you add to that shared experience through good times and bad then you form a close bond.

A life long friend of mine is Greg Allnutt. Our paths crossed intially during sport in primary school when country schools got together in South Canterbury sometime in 1980 or 81. It wasn’t until third form and High School that we became good friends and throughout our high school years we were in the same class. We played rugby together and used to stay at each others place. He lived in the Waimate township and I came from a farm in the Hunter Hills. Good friends we were and we had a lot of fun. 
Greg was a keen outdoor lad. Fishing, hunting, camping, a great runner, a talented swimmer and a bit of a nut on the rugby field with blistering tackles. He had a great sense of humour, an angry side if pushed (and he often was) and was known to hold a grudge until such time as he could pay you back in full! He was good on his feet public speaking and did well academically. At the end of our sixth form year Greg went into the NZ Army as a Cadet. His trips home on leave and the stories he told influenced my decision to join the Army myself.
In January of 1987 I joined the Army and after year of intial training and study at University was sent for my Officer Training at the Officer Cadet School in Waiouru. Greg was also in this class as was another good school friend, Nathan Richardson. That year was a blur of leadership training, fitness, academic study and practical assessment in leadership roles in wet and cold situations that deprived us of sleep & food. We loved it (well looking  back on it). At the end of that year our paths seperated as we pursued our careers in different locations but continued to cross. I worked with Greg on promotion courses, sometimes as students together, once he was instructing, we shared a trip to Hong Kong and an operational tour in Angola (but not at the same time). We flatted together for a while, socialised together and had a similar circle of friends at various times. Over our many years as mates we have played sport together, been wet, cold and hungry, tired, partied, celebrated weddings, laughed,  & stayed in touch. Often it would be years between seeing each other.
So I wasn’t surprised when he decided to write his book because he had a hell of a story to tell. I first knew of it when I got an e-mail out of the blue seeking permission to use my photo & name. I was also stoked to be one of the first few to get a copy to read. “Keeping the Peace – A Kiwi’s Modern Conflict Experience” is a tale of Greg’s operational postings into conflict zones with the New Zealand Army. It also tells of his life leading to enlistment and some of the events along the way. I really enjoyed reading it, not just because I knew much of his story and many of those featured in the book, but because I learnt quite a lot about him. His perceptions, insights into life overseas with the Army and his reflections made it a book I read in only several sessions. 
The thing I admire the most about Greg (besides his courage to write his story) is that he is a good genuine bloke. He is a straight shooter, he has a wickedly sharp wit and most of all we can get together and have a beer after over 30 years of friendship. 
Now thats a good Southern Man and an ANZAC who has done more than his bit for service of his country. New Zealand needs more Greg Allnutts……people who don’t just talk about things, they actually go into harms way and do things to make the world a better place.
Onward Greg and thanks for everything you have taught me over the years and the example you have set.
Like this? Check these other ANZAC Stuff I have written;



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The ANZAC Legend Didn’t Mention Mud and Blood and Tears…..

One the 25th the country will remember officially those who have served, currently serve and those who sacrificed their lives for our country. For those of us who share a close link with the military it occupies a special place in our lives. It is a time to get together, share with family and to remember the friendships, the fun times and the not so fun times.

R.I.P Leonard Manning. He is one of a number who in recent years have died in combat.

I was 17 when i joined the Army and despite knowing the stories and legends of those who had served no one mentioned the mud, blood, sweat and tears involved in serving. The time away from home and family, the times when it crossed your mind that getting home in one piece might be a bit of a challenge.

R.I.P. those men of my home community who gave their lives all those years ago. Lest we forget.

This week I will be remembering those who didn’t make it, those who have been badly injured, those who have suffered mentally from their service. Most importantly I spare a thought for those members of our Armed Forces who are in harms way right now doing their bit at the sharp end of our countries foreign policy…….and punching above their weight. I will take time to remember those New Zealanders who have died on active duty over this past 12 months and for their families.

Lest we forget.

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ANZAC Day: The true gold and what it all means.

As ANZAC day looms I always think of my military past. For many years it was 100% of my life, nearly 18 years serving as a Regular Army Officer and now after a 6 year gap, again in the Reserves. When I first left the Army I immersed myself in business to make up the skill gap that I felt I had as a result of so much time in one organisation. Now more and more I fall back on the extra ordinary grounding I got in the Army and the skills it taught me.  Sure I got a University education as well (BCom at Canterbury University) but those basic skills are the valuable ones. Things like accepting responsibility, leading, communicating, systems for administration, logistics. How to plan and think through problems. People skills, overseas experience, overcoming fear, physical fitness and the list goes on.
ANZAC day for me is a time of remembrance. It is a time to think back on experiences, people, sacrifice and those who put country first. Those who didn’t make it home or were killed serving their country come to mind. The big campaigns which cost many faceless New Zealanders their lives and then more recently those killed in combat, accidents or in training that have a much more personal angle given that we knew them and had served together.
Many of my good friends still serve in the Army and some are in harms way right now. They hold senior roles of course nowadays, but in the back of your mind you get that knot in your guts whenever there is a bad news headline in Afghanistan or some other strange place they may be serving. Many of my mates are now out of the Army and flung far around the country and indeed the world in roles ranging from Private security to private and big business. Most have been very successful in what they have pursued and of course fall back on many of those skills taught in the military.
I wanted to define what ANZAC day meant to me and whilst the dawn parade is certainly a focal point, I find myself looking at those around me who have not served. I look at their reaction and I wonder why they attend and what it must mean to them given they have not experienced the tight camaraderie the Army offers or the feeling of being in a tight combat team. I don’t understand how they view the day and the words said at services across the country.
No, ANZAC day is not really that big for me. Personally it happens many times a year when I share time with good mates who I have served with. The ANZAC experience for me is just as much about playing a good army mate at squash as it is about a dawn parade. To be able to tell yarns, swear  (one of the pleasures in life) and spend time is just as important. Having a coffee, phone calls, laughing, staying in touch are all pleasures. I love the way you can go months and years and then just touch base and not much has changed.
Last weekend a mate called on me who I had not seen for perhaps 10 years and we spent a couple of hours talking. Those are friendships that endure, like old school mates they are part of my community. They know me, my strengths, my weaknesses and we have common experience.
That is a gift the Army has given me for the rest of my life. Enduring friendships……now that is just absolute gold!
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The Blast ANZAC Collection: 2011. A Few Memories

It is ANZAC weekend really. This year ANZAC day falls on the Easter holiday weekend so they roll into one. As I sit here in Christchurch and wonder where the services are I should be attending (most venues have been damaged after the earthquake) I have scrolled through many pics and uploaded a real cross section of some life in the Army. I wish I carried my camera more during my service. Enjoy the memories and remember to celebrate those who did their bit and never made it home. We will remember them.
The way it was. Hong Kong (British) border post looking towards China. 1992

Bush bashing with the Air Force. One of hundreds of helicopter flights with all our kit.

Sydney, Australia. 5/7 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment,  (Mechanised Infantry)  on the move.

B Company, 2nd/1st Battalion, Infantry skill at arms team after kicking 2 Ghurka Regiments butt for the Smith Trophy. Hong Kong 1992

Spoiling for trouble. 2nd/1st Battalion, RNZIR on the move and looking for a fight.

A mate.  Captain Johnny McNutt seated in an Apache gunship just prior to being killed in 2001 serving overseas with the NZSAS. R.I.P.. Read more about Johnny here (link)

Infantry on the move. Dawn raid May 2003

Local legends. Roll of Honour for the Hunter district, South Canterbury. My Great Uncle Alan McConnell one of the lucky ones to make it back. He too was an Infantry Officer in WW2.

Roll of Honour at the Pearl Harbour War memorial to those killed in the Japanese surprise raid on the US Navy Pacific Fleet. Sobering number of men killed. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Skill at Arms section in action. Nothing like being in the mud!

Parachute drop, Crete, Greece

About to get airborne. The Wessex choppers of the Royal Air Force about to lift us off.
Mates heading on leave in Auckland. Troy Fisher (R.I.P) on the right.
A hot brew in the field and a good yarn after a hard day. Pure gold for the Infantry.
A moody Southern sky with light at the end of the tunnel!
The beautiful Southern Alps of the South Island, New Zealand. A  beacon of home.
Infantry 81mm mortars. Outgoing live.
A Nazi paratrooper I met in Crete at the German memorial service. He was bitter and angry and disliked the English (which he thought I was)  despite me being pleasant and respectful. He was so rude that I took his picture. Tosser!

Bosnia contingent pic (plus attachments) taken at the New Zealand Memorial marking the battle of Chunuk Bair,  Galipolli, Turkey.

Beach assault landing Hong Kong/China border. B Company comes ashore.

Parachute training, Whenuapai,  Auckland, 1988

Infantry fighting patrol. Palm Olive plantation, Malaysia, 1990.

Parachute rolls…….practising the technique. Tower training.
Digging up a mass grave, Angola, South West Africa, 1996. Not pleasant!

Resupply. Borneo Jungle, Brunei. 1994

Flying over Borneo Jungle, Brunei by helicopter.

Ground training.

130km forced march. 30 plus hours with full battle kit.
ANZAC Dawn Service 2010. Sunrise over the Cathedral……before the earthquake took out the Cathedral in Feb 11.
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ANZAC Day: The true gold of ANZAC

Local men from Hunter district who served. Lest we forget.

As ANZAC day looms I always think of my military past. For many years it was 100% of my life, nearly 18 years serving as a Regular Army Officer and now after a 6 year gap, again in the Reserves. When I first left the Army I immersed myself in business to make up the skill gap that I felt I had as a result of so much time in one organisation. Now more and more I fall back on the extra ordinary grounding I got in the Army and the skills it taught me.  Sure I got a University education as well (BCom at Canterbury University) but those basic skills are the valuable ones. Things like accepting responsibility, leading, communicating, systems for administration, logistics. How to plan and think through problems. People skills, overseas experience, overcoming fear, physical fitness and the list goes on.

Shared experience = ANZAC Spirit. Hong Kong/China border 1991

ANZAC day for me is a time of remembrance. It is a time to think back on experiences, people, sacrifice and those who put country first. Those who didn’t make it home or were killed serving their country come to mind. The big campaigns which cost many faceless New Zealanders their lives and then more recently those killed in combat, accidents or in training that have a much more personal angle given that we knew them and had served together.

Many of my good friends still serve in the Army and some are in harms way right now. They hold senior roles of course nowadays but none  in the back of your mind you get that knot in your guts whenever there is a bad news headline in Afghanistan or some other strange place they may be serving. Many of my mates are now out of the Army and flung far around the country and indeed the world in roles ranging from Private security to private and big business. Most have been very successful in what they have pursued and of course fall back on many of those skills taught in the military.

Remembering those who didn’t get home= ANZAC spirit

I wanted to define what ANZAC day meant to me and whilst the dawn parade is certainly a focal point, I find myself looking at those around me who have not served. I look at their reaction and I wonder why they attend and what it must mean to them given they have not experienced the tight camaraderie the Army offers or the feeling of being in a tight combat team. I don’t understand how they view the day and the words said at services across the country.

No, ANZAC day is not really that big for me. Personally it happens many times a year when I share time with good mates who I have served with. The ANZAC experience for me is just as much about playing a good army mate at squash as it is about a dawn parade. To be able to tell yarns, swear  (one of the pleasures in life) and spend time is just as important. Having a coffee, phone calls, laughing, staying in touch are all pleasures. I love the way you can go months and years and then just touch base and not much has changed.
Last weekend a mate called on me who I had not seen for perhaps 10 years and we spent a couple of hours talking. Those are friendships that endure, like old school mates they are part of my community. They know me, my strengths, my weaknesses and we have common experience.
That is a gift the Army has given me for the rest of my life. Enduring friendships……now that is just absolute gold!

If you liked this ANZAC story you will love these others that I have written;

A visit to Crete: Some ANZAC photos (Link here)

Johnny McNutt: A Good Southern Bloke R.I.P. (Link here)

Bush bashing and finding the Canterbury lads: Gallipoli (Link here)

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Bush Bashing & Finding the Canterbury Lads: Galipolli 2000

I have been to Galipolli twice. The first time I did not land but rather cruised up the Dardanelles on a ship. The next time I joined the small group of NZ soldiers serving in Bosnia with NATO. It was the 85th anniversary of the landings so there was a huge crowd expected. We visited the museum the day before ANZAC day and got our heads around the sheer presence of the place. The museum is packed full of shocking photos, artifacts, human bones and interesting things like bullets that had hit each other in mid air and melded together! It was a day of taking it all in. I visited ANZAC cove where the Kiwis came ashore and saw the first cemetery that had New Zealand men. Many so young, most under 20.

ANZAC cove was quite an emotional sort of a place. As a soldier it was a campaign I had studied and heard so much about. It was a defining moment in the history of our country, certainly of the NZ Army. I think the thing that affected me the most was understanding just how far away from home these men were and just how big the task was they were expected to do first up in a long war!

ANZAC day itself was heaving. The Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers were present and so were a large NZ Army contingent do the formal ceremonial parades and memorial guards. The Bosnia Contingent left two vans in the huge line of traffic and we walked the last few km to the Dawn Service. The road was littered with bumper to bumper traffic and there were many thousands of Aussie and Kiwi backpackers. The sunrise over ANZAC cove and the service gave the place a mystical feel and the crowd was very silent. The bugler doing the Last Post chilled us all.

The rest of the day was spent walking up the cliffs and visiting the ceremonys and many different battle memorials. I enjoyed the main Australian service at “Lone Pine” and then the New Zealand ceremony at the “Chunk Bair” memorial. The New Zealand Defence Force Cultural Group performed the Haka and the Prime Minister spoke. Turkish soldiers had a very high profile presence as part of the security. This first photo was taken at the Chunuk Bair Memorial.

After the service and reading the role of those killed from many New Zealand Regiments, we decided that rather than take the long track back down the cliffs, the direct “bush bashing route down a large ridge line would be a better way to get to the vehicles. The Infantry Section that was with us led the push with the scouts up front finding the way through heavy scrub, blackberry type bush, rusted equipment and trenches. After  a long walk through a river bed finding small plots full of Indian and Canadian soldiers, we came across a small cemetery of 25-30 plots. Closer inspection found it was in the main full of men from the Canterbury Regiment at “Outpost 1”.  This second picture is taken in this quiet spot.

Researching it after I returned to NZ it seems these men were killed trying to outflank the enemy. Caught in the open by raking machine guns. Our drivers walked back for the vehicles while the remainder of us waited in the sun in that quiet spot for several hours. I spent the time reading each headstone and leaving poppies.  It felt good to be with these guys for a while because given their location so far from the main walkways it was obvious not many visited them.

Gallipoli for me was just somewhere I had to go in my life. It was a “bucket list thing” I now realise and the experience was amazing. Turkey is such a full on diverse place but the people are warm and friendly and whilst they without doubt enjoy the tourists dollars that the area brings, they genuinely seem to care. The plots and sites are well tended and looked after and their attitude is quite refreshing. Then there is the carpet trade they rob you blind on, but that is another story!

As ANZAC day rolls around I always reflect on those guys who stepped up, got stuck in and now lie so far from home. That is why we remember them.

Like this article? Other ANZAC Tributes and Topics

ANZAC: Johnny McNutt- A Good Southern Man: RIP Published 21 Apr 10

The “Ted d’Augvergne Bottle in the Hotel” story. A tale of intrigue from Waimate, NZ. Published 19 Apr 10

Who the Hell is Private David Nelson Wright? A local man killed in Vietnam. Published 5 Feb 10