Nelson Weekly Locally Owned and Operated
tuesday 23 May 2017
EDUCATION CArEErs AND
winning at 90
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Generous Nelson WW2 veteran will get his bronze plaque after all Kate Russell Reporter
kate@nelsonweekly.co.nz
Nelson WW2 veteran John Beeching will get his bronze memorial plaque after all, but it’s the kindness and generosity of Nelsonians – not the government – that has made it possible. Last week, Nelson Weekly told the story of London-born Beeching, who was set to miss out on the plaque reserved for veterans, because he has lived too long. The 93 year old has lived in New Zealand for 64 years, but because he is classed as a “Commonwealth veteran”, he won’t qualify for the plaque when he passes away, due to recent changes to the war pension’s act which came into effect on 1 July 2016. But since the article was published, four generous people have come forward offering to cover the $500 cost of John’s plaque, including an anonymous Auckland man, Port Nelson’s chief executive Martyn Byrne, a group of locals co-ordinated by Murray Leaning, and
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Nelson man Ian Martyn was one of four different people or groups who offered to pay for John Beeching’s veteran’s plaque after the government cut off funding for non-New Zealand veterans. Photo: Kate Russell. most recently, Nelson man Ian Martyn. There has even been support from as far away as Canada. Ian runs the not-for-profit busi-
ness ‘medals reunited’ and spent 37 years in military himself, with a significant portion of that time in the air force in the same ranks as John.
“When I read the article, it really burned me up – especially because John is the patron of the rsA. They’re just skirting it for a few beans,” says Ian.
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“so, I just jumped into the white pages, found John’s phone number and told him: ‘I’m paying for
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