Realities of war recalled by veterans

‘‘War is a futile and a horrible thing.’’

That was the message from Korean War veteran Don Boot when he spoke to a group of Timaru children taking part in a holiday program.

Six veterans who served in wars ranging from World War II to the Vietnam War and peacekeeping efforts in East Timor shared some of their stories with the five to 13 year-olds on the YMCA Oscar holiday programme at the South Canterbury RSA on Monday.

Their holiday programme activities included making poppies and placing them at the RSA memorial and baking Anzac biscuits, which they gave to the veterans.

Boot told the children how the Korean War, which he served in from 1952 to 1955 as an artillery signaller, had a devastating impact on civilians, especially children who were orphaned.

‘‘They had no homes, little to eat and were dressed in rags.’’

Ten-year-old Mason McLeod thought it would be terrifying if there was war in New Zealand and could not imagine losing both of his parents. ‘‘I feel sorry for the families.’’

Bill Cocks joined the army when he was 18 and went to war two years later in 1944. ‘‘I was in the 26 Battalion Infantry. We arrived in Cassino (Italy) as reinforcements and put up tents for the boys fighting in the flat below the hill.’’

On the same ship as Cocks was Ted Collings, also heading to fight in World War ll. He was in the 11th reinforcements and was injured twice.

‘‘A bullet went through my left lung and in my back ... I still have the bullet at home.’’

After six weeks of hospital care he was sent back to Italy to fight. About seven months later a shell landed nearby and the shrapnel struck his ear, leg, back and face.

He was left for the rest of his life with half his face paralysed.

Finding it hard to judge who was friendly and who was an enemy was Timaru police Senior Constable Steve Wills, who was a volunteer peacekeeper in East Timor when the Timorese were wanting independence from Indonesia in 1999.

He said some people would work alongside them during the day, then at night would change uniforms and work dangerous militia.

Because so many members of the armed forces were peacekeeping in East Timor at the time, territorial officer Grant Day was sent to the Sinai Peninsula to train a multinational force to drive.

Vietnam veteran Dick Bennett said war was ‘‘always frightening’’. ‘‘If you say you weren’t scared you’re lying.’’

In the infantry 3rd Whiskey Company fighting from 1969 to 1970, Bennett had to walk through the jungle looking for the enemy.

The children listened and seemed surprised that some of the soldiers were not that old after all. YMCA Oscar team leader Jo Skudder said she thought it had been valuable for the children to hear the stories. with the