'Honour-bound' SAS soldier farewelled

By ALISON HORWOOD

The New Zealand soldier who died fulfilling his childhood dream to serve overseas with the elite Special Air Service was yesterday farewelled on his home soil.

Hundreds of people - family, friends, fellow servicemen and politicians - attended a military service for Major John McNutt at the Burnham Military Camp in Christchurch.

Major McNutt, aged 27, and five United States soldiers were killed in Kuwait a week ago by a misdirected American bomb.

Yesterday, Major McNutt's coffin arrived at the military hall by gun carriage, flanked by a combined guard of US servicemen, New Zealand SAS soldiers and members of his former 2/1 Battalion in Christchurch.

It was shrouded in the NZ flag. His sword and distinctive oatmeal-coloured beret of the SAS, lay on top.

Media representatives at the service were given strict instructions not to photograph the faces of SAS members wearing their berets and insignia emblazed with the dagger and words, "Who Dares Wins."

Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Keating, the SAS commanding officer, helped to lift the secrecy surrounding the unit by telling those at the funeral that its officers enjoyed a quieter image than the popular one of "gun-toting" soldiers.

The chosen few went through a rigorous mental and physical selection process, and the demands on successful candidates were great because they were called to serve their nation for long periods of time, he said.

Major McNutt's selection for Kuwait had been unique because the assignment would normally be awarded to a more senior officer, he said. He described Major McNutt as a fine honour-bound man who excelled physically and was a great leader.

"I have no doubts he was suitable for that national representative role."

Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton said that although New Zealand's contributions in Kuwait had been modest, "we had sent our best."

It was important to remember that Major McNutt had died alongside five US soldiers, and the New Zealand Government extended its condolences to their families and colleagues, he said.

Major McNutt's mother, Mary, told the congregation that her West Coast-born youngest son, known to the family as "Johnnie," lived life to the full and relished any challenge.

He was lucky to have been blessed with two families, she said. "The family he was born into and the family he chose, which was the Army."

Mike Brown, a family friend and neighbour from Major McNutt's childhood at Fox Glacier, said that when Johnnie was born, the McNutt family were raising 10 orphaned Thar.

"Mary would prepare 11 bottles every day ... thar thar thar Johnnie," he said.

His lasting memory of the young Johnnie was of a snowy-haired boy who ran everywhere in bare feet, even when there was snow. Even at a young age he strove for perfection and had the determination and strength to carry out strenuous physical tasks, he said.

Older brother James said that although Major McNutt was known as a soldier, to the family he was just "Johnnie," who would come home to Canterbury wearing a Swanndri, lace-up gumboots and a wide smile.

"You can take the man out of the West Coast but you can't take the West Coast out of the man."

James McNutt said the family were not renowned for their goodbyes, but it was he who dropped his little brother at Auckland Airport for his flight to Kuwait.

Major McNutt had wanted to join the SAS since he was a child, and referred to the tour as the "trip of a lifetime."

"I said to Johnnie, 'Keep your head down and be safe.'

"All he said was, 'Yeah, no worries,' looking over his shoulder with a grin from ear to ear."