Parade a reminder of East Timor role

By PAULA OLIVER

Patriotic fervour swept through Wellington yesterday as 1500 New Zealand troops who served in East Timor were applauded through the city's streets.

The parade of members of all three services was held to formally acknowledge the biggest commitment by the Defence Force since the Korean War in the 1950s.

Prime Minister Helen Clark told the troops at Parliament that they had helped the East Timorese at a critical time.

"Dili was in flames when New Zealand's C-130 aircraft joined with their Australian counterparts to form an air bridge from Darwin into Dili," she said.

Five servicemen lost their lives in East Timor. Helen Clark said they were all in the thoughts of everyone at the parade.

Royal New Zealand Air Force helicopters and planes made low passes over the inner city as an enthusiastic crowd waved flags and cheered the passing parade.

Former servicemen, family members and shopkeepers were among those who stopped to wave.

The parade went directly past the frigate HMNZS Canterbury, which is tied up near the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa.

Helen Clark last night attended a cocktail party on board the frigate to celebrate the homecoming of the East Timor mission.

Herald feature: Indonesia and East Timor