YOUR NEWS, YOUR VIEWS WAITOMO ews ISSN 1170-1137 – (218) Thursday, August 6, 2015 Delivered FREE to households – extra copies 50c Reluctant hero dies peacefully JOHN LESLIE (LES) MUNRO BORN April 5, 1919 Mr Munro flew 58 trips without a break when DIED August 4, 2015 it was decided his crew had done enough. He then commanded the 1690 Bomber Defence ONE of New Zealand’s most celebrated World Training Flight, flying Hurricanes for a year be- War ll heroes, Squadron Leader Les Munro fore setting sail for New Zealand, arriving home CNZM, DSO, QSO, DFC, JP died on Tuesday, at Labour Weekend in 1945. He was 26. aged 96. He was released from the RNZAF on Febru- Mr Munro had been in hospital for two weeks ary 5, 1946. due to heart problems and died peacefully sur- Mr Munro was twice decorated by King George rounded by his family at 6.15am. VI for his flying exploits, with the Distinguished He was the last pilot of the Royal Air Force’s Flying Cross in 1943 and the Distinguished Ser- 617 Squadron which flew the top secret mission vice Order in 1944. that became known as the ‘Dambuster’ raids on In an interview with the BBC to mark the May 16-17, 1943. Operation Chastise’s objective – 70th anniversary of the Dambusters mission, in to destroy the Ruhr Valley hydro dams and flood May 2013 Mr Munro said he had not been afraid. the industrial heart of Germany. “I approached most operations with a thought: Of the 19 Avro Lancaster bombers that left ‘If I’m going to cop it, so be it.” England only 11 returned, including the flak- TO P3 crippled W-Willie flown by 24-year-old John Leslie Munro. DISTRICT CHAMPION: After his war service with the Royal Air Force’s 617 Squadron (left) and a post-war career as a valuer, Les Munro and his wife Betty took up a ballot farm at Mapiu in 1961. For the next 40 years he became one of the Waitomo district’s most ardent cham- pions especially in local government chairing the Waitomo County Council from1979-1989 and as mayor from1989-1995. PHOTO SUPPLIED Sizzling Fisher & Paykel Fisher & Paykel Aerosense Dryer Aerodry Dryer • 5kg capacity • 4kg capacity Winter Specials • Auto sensing DE40F56A2 • 5 dryness settings • Creaseguard function • Reverse tumbling to prevent tangling LIMITED STOCK DE50F56E1 Te Kuiti Rora St, Te Kuiti P 07 878 8147 was $ was $ Otorohanga $699 NOW $549 NOW 66 Maniapoto St, Otorohanga P 07 873 8871 649 449 WAITOMO NEWS Thursday, August 6, 2015 3 Guiding light gone LES Munro’s son Graeme says much higher and that is probably not only has the family lost a overlooked by a lot of people when much-loved father, grandfather they focus on his life. and great grandfather, but also their guiding light. FOND MEMORIES “He was a very humble and loyal “He really fondly remembers man who had incredible values his time in Te Kuiti and Waitomo which he instilled in all of us. and working with the people there “So in that respect his legacy of to establish the civic centre and how he handled himself and how Japanese Garden among many ON THE AGENDA: Les Munro (seated centre) with his 1991 councillors – Ian Wards (back left), Rollo Edkins, Leonie Mc- he communicated with others, will other projects. Caughan, Malcolm Lilley, Adrienne Tatham, John Kaati, Stan Glasgow, Steve Sanderson (seated left), chief executive Dave live on for generations to come.” “He certainly had a lot of town Muir, Bruce Willliams (deputy mayor) and Mike Wagstaff. PHOTO SUPPLIED Despite his father’s well-doc- pride.” umented World War II service, Reflecting on Mr Munro’s life, Graeme says he was more proud of Graeme says he’ll simply remem- his public service to the Waitomo ber his father as “a great dad”. community. “He’ll be sorely, sorely missed Reluctant hero “Yes, he did have some signifi- because that leadership we all cant achievements in the war and looked to him for will be gone. that’s where he received a lot of “It’s like the kauri tree has recognition, but he actually consid- fallen. ered his time in local government “We all thought he was invin- dies peacefully was where he gained more intense cible and now when we wake up personal satisfaction. it’s hard to believe that he’s gone. FROM P1 The eldest of three children, he was raised on “The war he did because it was “It’s a vacuum that we, as a fam- a sheep station during the Great Depression and expected of you, but he held his ily, will struggle to come to terms But for Waitomo residents it is his service to was educated at Gisborne High School. local government achievements with for a long time.” the community he lived in for 40 years that will He left school aged 14 to work on the family be remembered most. farm, then other East Coast sheep and beef farms Encouraged by friends and neighbours, he en- before World War II intervened. tered local politics in 1979. He enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Air Force He served as Waitomo county’s chairman until on July 5, 1941 aged 21 to be a pilot, but was told 1989, and as mayor of the Waitomo district from his education wasn’t satisfactory and a gunner’s 1989-1995. position was recommended. A year later he enlisted again and was accepted SISTER CITY for pilot training, learning to fly Tiger Moths at the It was during this time, that Mr Munro formed RNZAF’s flying training school at Bell Block, New Te Kuiti’s sister city relationship with Tatsuno Plymouth then Levin. after striking up a friendship with a Japanese He chose to fly bombers and was posted to Saska- war veteran at a World War II veterans’ reunion toon in Canada for initial training before being sent in 1994. to England to fly Avro Manchesters and Lancaster During a chat between the two, it was discovered bombers with the RAF 97 Squadron at Woodall Spa Tatsuno was the home of the firefly and Waitomo in Lincolnshire. From there as a Squadron Leader the home of the glowworm. The sister-city connec- he joined the 617. tion was officially formed in 1995. In 1998, the Japanese Garden was built on Rora POST-WAR WORK St with help from Tatsuno representatives who Mr Munro became a registered farm valuer in 1950 working in Blenheim, Gisborne, Nelson and also donated stone sculptures to cement the bond. The Waitomo District Landfill and rural Waste Transfer finally Auckland from 1957-1961. Tatsuno has a Waitomo garden. Stations accept e-waste for collection and recycling. Waitomo mayor Brian Hanna and a delegation In 1959, as an associate of NZ Institute of Rural Valuers he was closely involved in the direct settle- visited Japan in June to celebrate the sister city E-waste (electronic waste) is electrical equipment ment of large numbers of returned servicemen who relationship’s 20th year. that has become obsolete, broken or unwanted; and entered ballots for land at a predetermined price. Throughout his years on council Mr Munro rep- includes computers, computer screens, fax machines, Having farmed before the war, Mr Munro and resented the district on numerous organisations whiteware, TVs and electrical cables, basically his wife Betty, whom he’d married in 1948 after a and was a committee member of several locally. anything with a plug. In a Waitomo News special feature to mark the two-year engagement, won a 1961 ballot farm at Mapiu 32kms south of Te Kuiti. 100th anniversary of the Te Kuiti borough, pub- E-waste is one of the fastest growing categories There they raised five children – the late John, lished on April 27, 2010 – and without claiming of hazardous waste in the world. Toxic chemicals Graeme, Greg, Gail and Anne. credit for either – he singled out the building of the in electronic products can leach into the land and In 1975, the family moved to a 40ha property Waitomo Cultural and Arts Centre and Hillview contaminate water streams over time or are released at Somerville Rd where they farmed until 1992. Home and Hospital as the major achievements of into the atmosphere. his time in office. Mr Munro then leasing the grazing rights to a Of Hillview he said: “The community spirit neighbour former Prime Minister Jim Bolger. It is very important that e-waste is diverted from that was shown as funds were raised to build and He worked as a rural real estate salesman from Landfill. develop Hillview was brilliant. There was real com- 1977-82 before his commitment to local govern- ment demands and community involvement took munity support for the rest home and that support A fee does apply to e-waste. You can find out more by over. seems to still be there to this day.” contacting WDC on (07) 878 0800 or visit our website On the civic centre: “I believe the erection of the He was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday waitomo.govt.nz/feesandcharges civic centre made a huge difference to the com- Honours in 1991 and awarded a Queen’s Service munity. It provides a focus – a central gathering Order. He also received a Companion of the New point.” Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) When he retired as mayor in 1995, the couple EARLY LIFE remained at their Somerville Road property until The son of a Glasgow-born father who emigrated Mrs Munro died in 1998.