Huey14
03-15-2005, 05:54
East Timor hero's award under fire from Waikato academic
15 March 2005
By ANDREW MACDONALD
A Waikato University academic has criticised the way a top bravery award was bestowed after the fire fight in East Timor nearly five years ago that left Private Leonard Manning dead.
On July 24, 2000, then Private Phillip Cheater was part of a six-man New Zealand patrol ambushed by militia in East Timor's dense jungle.
Pte Manning was killed and Pte Cheater tried to go to his aid under heavy hostile fire, but on finding his friend dead tried to retrieve his machine gun to stop militia stealing it.
For his actions, Pte Cheater was awarded the New Zealand Gallantry Decoration (NZGD) in the latest New Year's Honour's List.
But yesterday Ron Smith, director of international relations and security studies at Waikato University, questioned the circumstances under which Pte Cheater received his medal.
"There is a significant feature of the (Pte) Cheater award that needs to be noted, and that is the apparent absence of any independent corroboration of the account he gives of his actions," Dr Smith said in the latest edition of New Zealand International Review.
"In these circumstances it is a little strange that an award should have been made at all, especially at such a high level," he said in the magazine.
Dr Smith said the NZGD was the equivalent of the Military Cross and "as such there would have been an expectation of eye-witness evidence.
"Traditionally, awards of this level have required such evidence and, in the event that this was not available, no award would be made," he said.
A Defence Force spokeswoman declined to comment straight away, and army chief Major General Jerry Mateparae was not immediately available to answer questions.
However, a Wellington-based Defence Force source told NZPA that there was no doubt Pte Cheater's award was well-earned.
"I've walked over that terrain. It's rugged, bush clad, thick as. It's all very well for him (Dr Smith) to write from his comfortable office," the source told NZPA yesterday.
"I think this is very unfair on (Pte) Cheater. Cheater didn't put himself up for an award, it was obviously put up by an officer who thought he was worthy of an award," the source said.
"He did deserve the award, he was extremely brave."
Pte Cheater was not immediately available for comment, but his father, Murray Cheater said it was "the first I've heard of it", referring to Dr Smith's comments.
"Because of the situation with him in the army we won't be able to pass any comment on it (the article)," Mr Cheater said.
In late December last year, Mr Cheater said his son believed he was simply doing his job in East Timor and that he would accept the award "with a shrug of the shoulders".
"He'll say `that's very nice and life goes on'," Mr Cheater told NZPA.
"He's taken the attitude that he did what he was trained to do."
During the skirmish in which Pte Manning died, Pte Cheater's face and head were bleeding from splinter wounds from bullets hitting trees around him.
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Ref stuff.co.nz
15 March 2005
By ANDREW MACDONALD
A Waikato University academic has criticised the way a top bravery award was bestowed after the fire fight in East Timor nearly five years ago that left Private Leonard Manning dead.
On July 24, 2000, then Private Phillip Cheater was part of a six-man New Zealand patrol ambushed by militia in East Timor's dense jungle.
Pte Manning was killed and Pte Cheater tried to go to his aid under heavy hostile fire, but on finding his friend dead tried to retrieve his machine gun to stop militia stealing it.
For his actions, Pte Cheater was awarded the New Zealand Gallantry Decoration (NZGD) in the latest New Year's Honour's List.
But yesterday Ron Smith, director of international relations and security studies at Waikato University, questioned the circumstances under which Pte Cheater received his medal.
"There is a significant feature of the (Pte) Cheater award that needs to be noted, and that is the apparent absence of any independent corroboration of the account he gives of his actions," Dr Smith said in the latest edition of New Zealand International Review.
"In these circumstances it is a little strange that an award should have been made at all, especially at such a high level," he said in the magazine.
Dr Smith said the NZGD was the equivalent of the Military Cross and "as such there would have been an expectation of eye-witness evidence.
"Traditionally, awards of this level have required such evidence and, in the event that this was not available, no award would be made," he said.
A Defence Force spokeswoman declined to comment straight away, and army chief Major General Jerry Mateparae was not immediately available to answer questions.
However, a Wellington-based Defence Force source told NZPA that there was no doubt Pte Cheater's award was well-earned.
"I've walked over that terrain. It's rugged, bush clad, thick as. It's all very well for him (Dr Smith) to write from his comfortable office," the source told NZPA yesterday.
"I think this is very unfair on (Pte) Cheater. Cheater didn't put himself up for an award, it was obviously put up by an officer who thought he was worthy of an award," the source said.
"He did deserve the award, he was extremely brave."
Pte Cheater was not immediately available for comment, but his father, Murray Cheater said it was "the first I've heard of it", referring to Dr Smith's comments.
"Because of the situation with him in the army we won't be able to pass any comment on it (the article)," Mr Cheater said.
In late December last year, Mr Cheater said his son believed he was simply doing his job in East Timor and that he would accept the award "with a shrug of the shoulders".
"He'll say `that's very nice and life goes on'," Mr Cheater told NZPA.
"He's taken the attitude that he did what he was trained to do."
During the skirmish in which Pte Manning died, Pte Cheater's face and head were bleeding from splinter wounds from bullets hitting trees around him.
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Ref stuff.co.nz