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LEST WE FORGET – PTE LEONARD MANNING The sacrifice of Private Leonard Manning who was killed in action on Foho Debalulik in Timor Leste as the country fought for its freedom was acknowledged at three memorial services last month. PTE Manning was killed in action on 24 July 2000. Six other New Zealanders who also died in Timor Leste as that country fought for its independence were also acknowledged at the memorial services. In Cova Lima the CDF General Lere Anan Timor, former Prime Minister Dr Rui Araujo, Brigadier General Maunana, Brigadier General Sabica, Colonel Coliati, Ambassador NZ, Ambassador Korea, Defence Attaché Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Portugal, Brazil, F-FDTL, PNTL, Timorese local leaders, chaplains, local communities, and school children honoured PTE Manning’s name and his sacrifice for Timor Leste’s freedom. The Timorese Minister of Defence Filomeno Da Paixao de Jesus, and other dignitaries attended the service in Dili. Lieutenant Colonel Martin Dransfield who was PTE Manning’s Commanding Officer at the time of his death addressed those gathered for the service and read a short message from PTE Manning’s parents, Charlie and Linda.
The New Zealand Ambassador, Phil Hewitt, also read a message from Minister Ron Mark. LTCOL Dransfield is the Strategic Advisor to Falintil-Forças de Defesa de Timor-Leste “Like our sons who paid the ultimate sacrifice on Timor’s path to achieving independence, we continue to support the people and the development of Timor Leste,” said LTCOL Dransfield. “To the international community, thanks to all of you for paying your respects to our fallen. We all served together in the peacekeeping missions in Timor Leste, and that unity and common sense of purpose to support Timor Leste continues today. “Len, thank you for your sacrifice, your legacy lives on. Onward. “Charlie, Linda, Laura, Roger, Aimee, and Daniel thank you for your beautiful message and your incredible support to the Timorese people.”
Photos: Lieutenant Colonel Martin Dransfield at ceremonies in Timor Leste held to honour the memory of PTE Manning.
A message from PTE Manning’s parents, Charlie and Linda Manning: Last year in Auckland, New Zealand, we met a young Timorese man from the Cova Lima district who was with other students gathered to celebrate the independence of Timor Leste. We were invited to that celebration and met a number of students, all of them wonderful young people. Among them was Agustinho. This turned out to be a very special meeting for us and also for him when he realised that we were Leonard’s parents. This was a very poignant moment as he told us how he vividly remembered the 24th July, 2000 and how frightened he had been when he heard what had happened to one of the Kiwi soldiers who was there to protect them. Agustinho, told us that since that time he had kept a treasured photograph of this Kiwi soldier and regarded him as a hero and someone very significant in his life. Being just a small boy at that time, he had made himself known
to the NZ soldiers, because of his love for learning to speak English. He told us how the soldiers sometimes asked him to help with language interpretation. We were delighted to meet Agustinho and shared with him that Leonard also had a love for languages and sometimes had gone with the interpreters to try to improve his Tetum. Maybe the two of them had even met one day and exchanged a smile and a greeting, the soldier who loved children and the boy now grown who still treasures that photograph. Leonard was very pleased to be one of many New Zealand soldiers selected to deploy to your country and he was honoured to help bring the independence that your people had fought so long and hard for. During the weeks that he was here he noticed the small children of Timor walking long distances to school.
He was full of admiration for the resilience and strength that he saw in these little children, who are now adults, making their own way in the world. He would be so proud of all that you have achieved and he would encourage you to make the most of every opportunity that you have. To the people of Timor Leste – we thank you for the way you always remember and honour Leonard and all of the others, including your own many heroes who gave so much over the years so you could be free and independent. Timor Leste holds a special place in our hearts. God bless and keep you in His care always.
