John Roughan: I vote for Dominic Abelen as New Zealander of the Year

OPINION:

Some years it can be hard to name a New Zealander of the Year. Not this year. As 2022 draws to a close there is one outstanding candidate in my mind. He is the only New Zealander we know of who has died fighting in Ukraine.

That war is unquestionably the most important story of the year. History will record that 2022 saw the shattering of a peace that has prevailed for more than 75 years, the first time since World War II that one European country has invaded another.

But those alive today know, perhaps better than historians will, what a shock it was that such a thing could still happen, and what a challenge it presents to the strength and spread of liberalism and democracy in the world.

The resilience of Ukrainians under a daily barrage of Russia’s missiles has been awe-inspiring and they are having to dig deeper into their reserves of courage as the northern winter sets in. The little monster in Moscow, losing the battle on the ground, is now concentrating on cities, knocking out their electricity systems, hoping to freeze the population into submission.

It’s frightful that this could be happening to people whose only offence to Russia was to want the liberties lacking in Russia and to preserve the nation they gained at the break-up of the Soviet Union. Along with other Western democracies, New Zealand is doing what it safely can to help them, but I’m sure most of us wish we could do more.

I don’t think I have ever been prouder of a New Zealander than I was that day in August this year when we heard that at least one of the soldiers had taken leave without pay and gone to the front.

Corporal Dominic Bryce Abelen was a 30-year-old infantryman, serving with the 2/I Battalion of the Royal New Zealand Regiment, based at Burnham near Christchurch. He had been in the army for 10 years. He died in an exchange of fire with Russian forces during a dawn assault to retake a trench network in eastern Ukraine.

So he cannot tell us precisely why he decided to go beyond the call of duty and fight alongside those he was training but I think every soldier knows. Comradeship, sympathy for their cause, admiration of their courage and resolve, the chance to use acquired skills for a good, valid purpose. Not many wars distinguish right from wrong as clearly as this one does.

He didn’t, of course, disclose his intentions to the NZ Defence Force when he applied for leave. We could get very prim about that. As a serving soldier he was representing New Zealand, obliged to act in the country’s interests as decided by its elected government.

Corporal Dominic Abelen. Photo / Supplied

Neither the Government nor the Defence Force can endorse what he did but we, the people, can. We can declare our pride in him and honour the risks he took for the sake of people in another country, while also understanding why the Government limits its contribution to equipment and training.

Lieutenant Colonel Cory Neale, commanding officer of the 2/1 RNZIR, said, “Corporal Abelen was a quality junior, noncommissioned officer, a trusted go-to member of his company and an absolute character who genuinely cared for his soldiers and friends.”

His father described him as a “kind, gentle man” who loved outdoor activities such as tramping. “He didn’t tell us he was going to Ukraine until he was there. He knew we would talk him out of it. He also knew the risks of going there but still went to fight for them.

“I am extremely proud of my children but especially Dominic,” said Bryce Abelen, “for standing up and doing what he thought was right.” New Zealand’s efforts to recover his son’s body have not been successful.

In Ukraine, Abelen joined an International Legion formed in response to an appeal from Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Time magazine’s Person of the Year.

Zelenskyy has proven that even a nuclear superpower can be resisted, that Russia’s army and arsenal are not as mighty as the world - and Vladimir Putin - had thought. Under Zelenskyy’s brave leadership, Ukraine has shown that national pride and determination count for as much as military bulk. China has noticed and Taiwan might be a little safer today as a result.

We don’t know how many New Zealand soldiers, past or present, are fighting in the International Legion. However many there may be, Abelen, were he still alive, would want to share any recognition with them.

They will all understand this if we declare him New Zealander of the Year.