On Sunday 16 May 2021 a private ceremony was held in the World War II Hall of Memories. The commemoration, filmed by the Sunday programme, was held to acknowledge the outstanding gallantry displayed by three Victor Six soldiers during operation Hermit Park, Vietnam, in June 1971. The ceremony marked the end of a 50-year campaign, by Norman Fry and Brian Monks, to gain recognition for their comrades.

Lobbying for recognition

In 1971, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) awarded Lance Corporal John Adams a Military Medal for his actions in Operation Hermit Park. Despite the fulsome application submitted by V6 Platoon Commander, Norman Fry, the NZDF did not acknowledge the other members of Victor Six involved in the operation—Private William Papuni, Private Mike Williams and Private John Galley. However, this did not stop Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Norman Fry and his immediate commander Colonel Brian Monks (1935-2018) lobbying for their recognition over the past five decades.

Victoria Passau, Collection Manager, Online Cenotaph interviewed Lieutenant Colonel Fry in the lead up to the event. 

"I have had [people] say to me “Well how can you remember back that far… 50 years ago?” My answer to that is if you are ever involved in an incident like this, you live it everyday for the rest of your life. I have gone through my life thinking “could we have done this better, could we have done that better, could I have written the nomination better”…"

Fry emphasised the humble nature of the men and their families. “I said to [the families] if we can’t get a medal would you be satisfied with something that you can put on the wall...so that people can come into your home and can see and can know the accurate story.”

Australian acknowledgement

Over the past four years, Norman and Brian’s quest for acknowledging the gallant deeds of these men has gained momentum. Especially through the profile raised by the award-winning segment (titled “Lest We Forget”) that first aired on Sunday in 2017.

In March 2020 the Australian Government recognised the actions of the three personnel with a statement from the Honorable Darren Cester MP, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel. 

I am aware [that] on 25 June 1971, during Operation HERMIT PARK, the crew of an Australian Centurian tank were wounded when their tank was struck by a rocket propelled grenade. The crew was rescued by New Zealand soldiers from 1 Platoon, Victor Six Company of the 4 Royal Australian Regiment / New Zealand (ANZAC) Battalion.

Whilst I understand that the application to have retrospective gallantry awards considered for their actions was unsuccessful, I know they showed great courage and their actions were no less important because of this decision.

A copy of this statement has been mounted in a frame alongside portraits of Williams, Papuni, and Galley, and an excerpt from the Recommendation for Gallantry submitted in 1971. The presentation of these mementoes saw more than 120 veterans and their whānau in attendance. Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Mike Harris acted as Master of Ceremonies, and Katherine Monks, daughter of Colonel Monks, awarded the mementoes to the whānau of Private Papuni (1948-1981), to the whānau of Private Galley (d. 2018) and to Private Mike Williams, who attended in person.

Whānau appreciation

The significance of the event for the whānau of these three soldiers is perhaps best summed up by the words of Maaka Papuni, nephew of William Papuni, with the thread of humility woven through his whaikōrero:

This day, and this recognition, following almost 50 years of time passed, is deeply meaningful to our family.

As a whānau, we also recognise that to come to this place together, to acknowledge the actions of the Victor 6 company, and of Mike, John and Bill on June 25, 1971, hasn’t come about without real challenge, without adversity and huge personal effort by some significant contributors over a long period of time.

The first I had heard personally of this action was many years ago in a conversation with my father Apiha, himself a 20 year NZ Army veteran, while fencing on our block in rural Manawatu. Almost in passing, Dad mentioned that his brother Bill had been involved, alongside others, in the rescue of two Australian soldiers from a damaged tank. That was our father Api’s recollection of his brother Bill’s actions. That was all, brief and to the point, as is typical of our whanau over time - no fanfare, no embellishments. Facts in their purest form.

To my knowledge, our wider whānau had no sense of the magnitude of what had happened that day. It was only last night, in a hotel room conversation, that a small number of us, including Hunaara, Bill’s younger brother present here today, discussed knowing that something of note had taken place that day, but we collectively knew very little of the detail. This to me speaks of the humility of Bill, and his fellow soldiers…

The story of what happened that day is a taonga... It is a story that will always be shared with our children and grandchildren. The service and sacrifice of these men, sits alongside numerous other actions by New Zealanders and Australians in conflicts through time. These actions truly exemplify the ANZAC spirit, the spirit of gallant, humble and extremely well trained professional soldiers from New Zealand and Australia that echoes through time.

"Being recognised by their own fellow soliders...is probably the highest honour you can get"  - Norman Fry

In his address Fry reflected, “Everything is easier in hindsight, but there is no doubt about one thing from Operation Hermit Park and that is this - there should have been more recognition for the actions of the soldiers from V6 company and in particular 1 Platoon. All elements and individuals performed with distinction. It was the outstanding level of gallantry [is why] Brian Monks and I have persevered for fifty years to get these men recognised for their gallant deeds.”

Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou

We will remember them

Ngā mihi nui ki a rātou

• Private Mike Williams
• Karen and Toni Galley (whānau of Private John Galley)
• Harriet Huriwai (daughter of Private William Papuni)
• Maaka Papuni (nephew of Private William Papuni)
• Katherine Monks (daughter of Colonel Brian Monks)
• Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Geoff Monks (brother of Colonel Brian Monks)
• Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Mike Harris
• Graham Gibson President Auckland RSA  / New Zealand Vietnam Veterans and their Families Trust