W3 News 1 2018

W3 Company - News Pūrongo

Remembering ALL Our Fallen
Reunion project to collect photos of all
our deceased veterans headstones

email the photo here

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On Facebook..? - webmaster
W3 RNZIR Reunions Facebook page supports W3 reunions and veterans welfare by engaging with and encouraging W3 veterans and their families to access welfare resources and to maintain old friendships. Join the group here The page is a closed group for W3 veterans and their whakapapa only. Routine news, deaths and other relevant topics are published. The Facebook page is moderated and restricted to reunion and welfare matters. The W3 website remains as the W3 RNZIR historical record.

Commemorating John Gurnick 3Pl - died of wounds 29 May 1970
John was cover scout for 3Pl on 29 May 1970 when a booby trap was missed and he and Chris Kennedy were wounded, John dying of his wounds while in the CASEVAC Iroquois. Chris recovered after a period in 1AFH and returned to 3Pl for the remainder of the tour.

A brief description of the event is here, the after-action report here, and the timeline here.

Noticas Fatal 43127 Pte Ben Te Namu 2Pl - webmaster [2 May 2023]

Ben passed away 29 April 2023 in Auckland. His body lay at Mahuhukiterangi/Te Riingi Marae, Tautoro (Kaikohe) before being buried at Reihana Takowau Urupa.

March 2023 Contact magazine - At the National Reunion it was also agreed that the Contact will become a digital
magazine as the costs of printing and posting, especially overseas, was getting prohibitive. Members are encouraged to get their copy sent to a family member if they do not have an email address. This will be the last copy to be sent out as a hard copy to enable those who currently get it posted to make alternative arrangements. If you have no other way of getting a copy, please get in touch with the editor.

Commemorating David Wright 2Pl - died of wounds 19 March 1970
Pte David Wright succumbed to secondary infections [likely renal failure] from his earlier wounds in January and died in Concord Repatriation Hospital Sydney on 19 March 1970. Dave had been well enough by early March 1970 to be writing from Concord to friends in W3 and his death was sudden and unexpected, so sudden that a last letter was received in SVN after news of his death. Dave is buried in Esk Valley South Canterbury; his grave was visited during the W3 2015 Reunion in Timaru and regularly by other veterans.

Noticas Fatal 43646 Pte Neville Paul Carmichael Coy HQ - webmaster [6 January 2023]

Neville passed away 5 January 2023 in Palmerston North. Remains cremated.

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