NZDF To Begin Repatriation of Navy Engineer in American Samoa

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) will begin repatriating a Royal New Zealand Navy engineer from American Samoa, following a graveside blessing ceremony at Satala Cemetery in Pago Pago on May 2 (New Zealand time).

Engineering Mechanic 1st Class Russell Moore died in an accident on the survey vessel HMNZS Lachlan in 1956.

The repatriation is part of project Te Auraki (The Return), under which personnel buried overseas after 1 January, 1955, will be brought home to New Zealand.

The expert dis-interment team of bio-archaeologists and forensic anthropologists drawn from New Zealand universities and NZDF odontologists (dentists) will be led by an NZDF doctor.

Once the remains have been identified, the service personnel being repatriated will never be left alone, with a continuous vigil by NZDF personnel until they are handed over to their families on their return to New Zealand.

An NZDF Chaplain, Kaumatua and Māori cultural advisers will be travelling with the NZDF contingent to ensure the remains will be returned to New Zealand using contemporary cultural, religious and military protocols.

Group Captain Carl Nixon, leading project Te Auraki, said the families of those being repatriated were the NZDF’s main priority.

“The New Zealand Defence Force is committed to making this process as dignified and respectful as possible for the families of those being repatriated,” Group Captain Nixon said.

“We are grateful to the government of American Samoa for agreeing to the dis-interment and for caring for the resting places of our people for all these years.

“We would also like to thank the US Army’s detachment in American Samoa for providing logistical support.”

Equality was the core principle throughout this process, Group Captain Nixon said.

“We will have no preferential treatment regardless of background, status, wealth, or cause of death. This will ensure the inequalities that resulted from an inconsistent approach in the past are not repeated.”

Last week, two Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel, Flight Lieutenant George Beban and Leading Aircraftman Ralph Scott, were dis-interred in Fiji.

All three personnel repatriated from Fiji and American Samoa are due to return to New Zealand, to be handed over to their families at a ramp ceremony at Base Ohakea on May 7.


Biographies of NZDF personnel being repatriated from Fiji and American Samoa:

American Samoa:

Engineering Mechanic 1st Class Russell James Craig MOORE. Engineering Mechanic Moore enlisted in the RNZN on 28 July, 1955. He was posted to the survey vessel HMNZS Lachlan and while on the ship in Pago Pago, American Samoa, he died in an accident, aged 19, on 9 July, 1956. He was buried in the Naval Section of Satala Cemetery, Pago Pago.

Fiji:

Flight Lieutenant George Thomas BEBAN, MBE, Administrative and Supply (Secretarial). Flight Lieutenant Beban served in the Second World War as an RNZAF Medic and he was discharged at the conclusion of hostilities. He re-enlisted in 1948 as an RNZAF Secretarial Officer. In 1954 he was posted with his family to RNZAF Station Laucala Bay as the Senior Secretarial Officer and Press Liaison Officer. He died of natural causes, aged 40, on 31 August, 1956, in Fiji, and was buried in the Military Section of the Suva Cemetery.

Leading Aircraftman Ralph Henry SCOTT, Fireman. Leading Aircraftman Scott enlisted in the RNZAF as a Fireman on 27 December, 1956. He also served from 1952-56 in the Royal Air Force as a Fireman. After a period of basic training he was posted to RNZAF Base Ohakea as a Fireman. In August 1960 he was posted to the firecrew at RNZAF Station Laucala Bay in Fiji. He died of natural causes, aged 28, on 15 October, 1960, and was buried in the Military Section of the Suva Cemetery.

ENDS

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Why is the NZDF repatriating personnel buried abroad after January 1, 1955?

Following a policy change, the NZ Government directed the NZDF to conduct the dignified repatriation of the remains of Service personnel and dependants, buried overseas between 1 January 1955 and 1971.

How has NZ repatriation policy changed over time?

• Between 1899 and 1955, New Zealand government policy for Service personnel who died overseas was that they should be buried close to where they died and not be repatriated to New Zealand.
• This changed, and between 1955 and 1971 personnel could be brought home at the cost of their family. The 1955 policy introduced inequalities between those families who could and those who could not afford to repatriate, and was administered in an inconsistent fashion.
• Overseas burial policy changed again in early 1971. Since that date New Zealand’s policy has been to repatriate at public expense all Service personnel and their dependents who die while serving overseas. It has also been policy since that time not to repatriate the remains of those who were already interred overseas. This policy was last considered and reconfirmed by Cabinet in 2007.
• In response to a petition and following a repatriation policy review by the Veterans’ Advisory Board (directed by Minister of Veterans’ Affairs in October 2016):
On 20 March 2017, Cabinet agreed to a repatriation policy change, and approved the offer of repatriation to families of Service personnel buried in Malaysia and Singapore after 1 January 1955
On 10 April 2017, the NZ Government publically extended an offer to families of Service personnel and dependants buried abroad since 1 January 1955 to repatriate them at public expense.

How many NZDF personnel are being repatriated?
Depending on family preferences, the NZDF anticipates repatriating 37 personnel in four tranches from six countries: Fiji, American Samoa, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Korea.
How long will this project take?
This project will be conducted in four tranches from April to October, starting with the repatriation of two Air Force airmen in Fiji and a Navy mechanic in American Samoa in early May.
• Three Service personnel from Fiji and American Samoa will be returned to New Zealand in early May 2018.
• 29 Service personnel and one child from Malaysia and one Service person from Singapore will be repatriated as one group and will arrive in New Zealand in mid-late August 2018.
• Two Service personnel from the United Kingdom will be returned to New Zealand in mid-September 2018.
• Two Service personnel from the Republic of Korea will be returned to New Zealand in mid-October 2018.

How will the Te Auraki Project be funded and how much will it cost?

The NZ Government is funding the repatriation. 10 million was initially budgeted for the project, however it is estimated to cost not more than 7million.

How is the NZDF engaging with international governments?
NZDF is working with relevant authorities in each of the countries to ensure the repatriations are conducted respectfully and in accordance with local requirements, regulations, and protocols.
How are family being supported?
The families of those being repatriated are NZDF’s key priority during Te Auraki, and we are consulting directly with the families affected. Each family will be supported by a liaison officer throughout the process. The decision to repatriate Service personnel is made by the families and NZDF is committed to making this process as dignified and respectful as possible.
There will be no cost to families for the dis-interment, repatriation, and re-interment of their relative. Up to 12 members of each family will be invited to attend the arrival ceremony for their relative at no cost to them. NZDF will provide support (chaplains, buglers, pall-bearers) for the re-interments as requested

What religious and cultural protocols are being undertaken?

The remains will be returned using NZDF’s contemporary cultural, religious and military protocols, with a Chaplain, Kaumatua, Kuia, and Maori Cultural Advisers travelling with the NZDF contingent. The remains will be handed over to the families with the appropriate Defence Force tikanga associated with repatriating bodies from abroad.

How will you ensure the correct remains will be returned?

The NZDF will deploy a dis-interment team of bio-archaeologists, forensic anthropologists, and forensic odontologists (dentists) drawn from universities and forensic experts across New Zealand. The team will be led by a NZDF medical doctor. International best practice will be used to conduct the identification and New Zealand’s Chief Coroner concurs with planned exhumation and identification approach. The Chief Coroner will continue to be engaged throughout the process.
How will the remains be handed to families?
Arrival ceremonies will be conducted in New Zealand for each group arriving home. The handing over of the remains to families is a private occasion when families are reunited with their loved ones. All ceremonies will follow a similar format and will include a guard of honour of Service personnel, haka and pōwhiri. Attendance is limited to a senior representative of the nation, a small group of senior Defence Force officers, family members of the returning personnel and media. Diplomatic representatives from the country the personnel are being repatriated from, and a representative from veterans’ communities relevant to the group being returned home will be invited to witness the arrival.
Where are the personnel being reburied?
Families will re-inter their relative at a place and time of their choosing in New Zealand. The NZDF will not be conducting military funerals as all of the deceased had military funerals prior to their interment. We expect many families will want to reflect on and commemorate the life of their relative in some way, and the NZDF is offering some support to the re-interments if families request it (e.g. chaplains, buglers, pall-bearers). Remains will be re-interred at Service, public, or private cemeteries depending on family preferences and the Service person’s qualifying service. Memorials (headstones or plaques) will be provided. $1000 will be given towards a headstone for those who wish for their relative to be interred in public/private cemetery.

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