'Inspirational' NZ war hero farewelled

Lieutenant Colonel John Masters (retd), MC, ONZM. File photo / Canterbury Star

Hundreds have gathered in Christchurch this afternoon for a funeral to farewell celebrated war hero Lieutenant Colonel John Milbanke Masters.

Mr Masters, who famously saved the life of a Gurkha soldier under heavy fire in Borneo in 1965, and was instrumental in getting recognition for war veterans exposed to the defoliant agent orange, died last week at age 75.

Among the mourners who gathered today at St Barnabas church were Defence Minister Wayne Mapp, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae, senior leaders of the RSA and numerous war veterans wearing their medals pinned to their chests.

Many serving members of the NZ Army were also present.

Mr Masters was remembered at the service as not only a hero but a humble man, a tireless campaigner for justice, a lover of books and writing and a great story teller.

Veteran Affairs Minister Judith Collins, in a letter read at the service, described Mr Maters as "one of nature's gentleman".

Mr Mateparae said Mr Masters was "an inspirational New Zealander" and a fine example of an officer and a soldier.

Recordings of the final rounds fired in Vietnam by the unit led by Mr Masters in May 1971 were played at the service.

After three rounds fired by a New Zealand army rifle contingent, Mr Masters casket was carried from the church ground on an artillery gun carriage, in recognition of his past service as an artillery commander.

Masters receives top award

In April this year, Mr Masters was named as New Zealand's inaugural Anzac of the Year, an award recognising comradeship, courage and commitment.

The Military Cross, presented to Masters by the Queen, followed an action in Borneo in 1965 when Masters, attached to a Gurkha regiment, was retreating with his patrol under heavy fire.

A sergeant-major was badly wounded in the legs. Masters carried the Gurkha for 54 hours through thick jungle and swamp. He then hid the wounded soldier in the jungle, got back to base, and organised a search party, travelling with them back through the jungle to retrieve their injured comrade.

In February this year, Masters was reunited for the first time with Hariprasad Gurung, the Gurkha he had saved. In addition to his service in Borneo, Masters served in Vietnam as battery commander of the New Zealand Artillery Battery, a position he still held when 161 Battery returned home in May 1971.

The battery's civic parade up Queen St, complete with howitzers, was met with anti-war protesters, fire crackers and paint bombs. Masters, as leader of the parade, was the subject of a citizen's arrest by activist Roger Fowler and charged with offensive and disorderly behaviour.

The case was thrown out by Magistrate H. Y. Gilliard, who described the application as "misconstrued and abusive".

Masters retired from the Army in 1983, after 27 years' service.

He became involved in campaigning for recognition of the exposure of New Zealand soldiers to Agent Orange in Vietnam. The chemical is known to be a cause of cancer in people who have been exposed to it, and a cause of deformity in ensuing generations.

Masters' maps revealed heavy US spraying of the defoliant in Phuoc Tuy province, where most New Zealand soldiers spent their time in Vietnam.

In 2008, the veterans received a formal government apology from Prime Minister Helen Clark for the failure to recognise their service in Vietnam, and for a failure to recognise and compensate for the effects of Agent Orange.

Mr Masters was born in Invercargill in 1934 and educated at Southland Boys' High School. He joined the New Zealand Army as a territorial in 1954, transferring to the regular force in 1956.

Mr Masters died on Thursday after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Alisoun, sons Robert and Allan and daughter Kate.