Anzac Day: Ukraine-born NZ war hero remembered by Whanganui descendant

Wilfred Ivan Tchernegovski (left) shares a smoke and a cup of tea with a German soldier.

A Whanganui man is remembering his Ukrainian grandfather, who was a New Zealand war hero, this Anzac Day.

"Ukrainians have always been a part of New Zealand society, and stood up where it counted," Phil Tchernegovski said.

Tchernegovski's grandfather, Ivan Tchernegovski, was a decorated medic for the New Zealand Army during World War I.

Without a gun, Phil's grandfather went onto no-man's land for 37 hours non-stop. Bombs were going off around him as he pulled in the casualties, including his dead cousin.

Ivan Tchernegovski was awarded a bravery medal which now sits in Waiouru Museum.

He also received a Gallipoli medal and, according to Phil's uncle Peter, was offered the Victoria Cross but passed it on to his captain, saying "he wouldn't deny a better man such an award".

When he returned from war, Ivan Tchernegovski was New Zealand Prime Minister Michael Savage's electoral chairman.

"He was a humble man. A very wise gentle giant," Phil said.

And, above all, a proud Ukrainian, even when anti-Russian discrimination was at its peak in New Zealand in the early 1900s.

He changed his first name to Wilfred to dissociate himself from his Ukrainian heritage at a time when many New Zealanders considered Russians aggressive.

"It was just to blend in," Phil said.

Similarly, his great-grandfather, also named Ivan Tchernegovski, changed his last name to Black.

Phil's father, also named Phil, even shortened his last name to "Cherne" on his business cards.

Phil said despite the discrimination, they were Ukrainian first and foremost and they wore their surname "with bravery".

Phil's father wanted to make sure his five children kept the name Tchernegovski and were proud of it, even though they were teased at school about it.

The name Tchernegovski came from the city name Chernigov (also spelt Chernihiv). The northern Ukrainian city is currently under heavy attack, with lethal airstrikes by Russia.

Back when the family lived in Ukraine in the late 1800s, Phil's great-grandfather and his brother escaped from the anti-Jewish riots that were happening in Ukraine. Family members died in the riots in 1881.

From Ukraine, the brothers escaped by dressing up as women and taking a horse and cart through the town of Odessa with the help of English church members, who helped them get to England.

From there, they moved straight to New Zealand to start a new life.

Phil Tchernegovski said his great-grandfather would be proud to know stories about Ukrainians helping New Zealand were being told in a time like this.

"They were Kiwis and proud of it," he said.

Since 2016, he has collected poppies every year to remember his granddad and his two uncles who fought for New Zealand.