Pal risked his life trying to save Manning

By EUGENE BINGHAM

Fresh details of the attack that killed peacekeeper Leonard Manning have revealed how another New Zealand soldier risked his life in an attempt to recover his fallen mate.

Private Phillip Cheater, of Rotorua, saw his friend fall as shots burst out during a jungle patrol in East Timor.

As heavy fire continued, he crawled back to Private Manning, despite endangering his own life.

Private Cheater's role has emerged in a Weekend Herald investigation into the first enemy firefight to kill a New Zealand soldier since the Vietnam War.

Documents obtained under the Official Information Act and sources close to the incident have revealed for the first time details of what happened.

Private Manning's patrol was ambushed by militia near the peak of a steep hill.

As fellow soldiers followed instructions to scramble for cover downhill through thick vegetation, Private Cheater reached Private Manning.

He shook him by the leg and told him: "Come on. It's time to go."

Realising his friend was dead, Private Cheater, aged 20 at the time, crawled down the hill and reported what had happened.

A military source familiar with Private Cheater's role said he was "extremely impressed" by what the young soldier had done.

"He could have looked to his own safety and gone without checking on Leonard," said the source.

"He did risk his own life to do that. I think it was incredibly brave."

Private Manning's parents, Linda and Charlie Manning, have decided against further comment about their son's death, preferring to focus on the East Timor School Trust, set up by the family to raise money to educate children in the newly independent nation.

But in a letter to North & South magazine after a February article that questioned the patrol's actions, they praised the courage of a soldier who saw Private Manning fall. That soldier was Private Cheater.

Private Cheater's mother, Eileen, said her son had not talked much about what happened.

"He is the sort of person who would downplay his involvement because he did what he was trained to do," said Mrs Cheater.

"He did say he had always wondered how he would react [in a battle situation] and now he knows.

"I guess ultimately I'm pleased it was not him who was killed, which is probably selfish, I know.

"We are just pleased with the way he has handled everything."

Political controversy since the magazine article was published meant the Army was sensitive about the Weekend Herald's investigations and attempted to prevent military staff from talking to the newspaper.

Army chief Major General Jerry Mateparae declined requests to interview Private Cheater or any other members of the patrol and refused to comment on the patrol's actions.

A spokesman for Major General Mateparae said: "We have no desire for our soldiers to be put through further interviews or scrutiny over the incident."

Ambush on a Timor jungle trail

* eugene_bingham@nzherald.co.nz


Further reading:
Feature: Indonesia and East Timor

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