By CATHERINE MASTERS
Born in the reign of Queen Victoria, New Zealand's oldest soldier and war hero, Curly Blyth, was fondly farewelled yesterday in one of Auckland's oldest churches.
But St Mary's in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell, is still younger than Mr Blyth. It is 103; he died last week aged
105.
His coffin was carried into the church on a pleasant Monday afternoon to an outpouring of tributes about the bravery of the First World War veteran who holds a special place in the hearts of the inhabitants of a small French village.
But when Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence Morris Blyth's coffin was carried out again and placed on a waiting 25-pound gun carriage the heavens opened.
Three volleys were fired by the New Zealand Army to honour him, and a haunting rendition of the Last Post was played in the pouring rain. Throughout, drenched Returned Servicemen stood saluting their comrade.
Almost 300 people packed the church, among them many veterans from the Second World War, who were greeted by crackly recordings of Lieutenant-Colonel Blyth's favourite First World War tunes, such as A Long, Long Trail Awinding and Goodbye Dolly Gray.
His daughter Margaret, herself in her 70s, told the Herald her father often played the songs in his years at Selwyn Village in Pt Chevalier, where he died. He did not want music from another era, she said.
She told of her father's love for Le Quesnoy, the French village he and fallen comrades stormed and freed from German occupation in November 1918, days before the war's end, to the lasting gratitude of its people.
His grandson, film-maker David Blyth, is making a documentary about his grandfather.
French Ambassador Jacky Musnier, gave his Government's condolences and praised Lieutenant-Colonel Blyth as a brave and outstanding soldier.
"He stood tall for the values for which New Zealanders are all known, courage and determination.
"But in addition to that, he was a decent man. He will live forever in our minds as an honorary citizen of France, for which he has done so much. We shall not forget."
The Rev Noel Derbyshire said Lieutenant-Colonel Blyth would now be with his wife, Ethel May, who died almost 20 years ago and whose picture hung above his bed when he died.
