Nelson Weekly
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tuesday 21 november 2017
A second chance at learning
nayland college
page 7
GATEWAY PROGRAMME
twins help drive college success page 28
Page 24-25
Terrier saved from sea Charles Anderson All Mike Gafa could think of when he saw his six-year-old border terrier being swept out to sea was to run down Tahunanui Beach and commandeer the nearest kayak he could find. “Emotions just took over,” he says. “All I could see was our little dog going.” On Sunday, Mike and his wife Michelle had been walking Ruby along the beach with their other dog Zach when Ruby decided to jump into the ocean for a swim. Then she just kept swimming. “That’s just what she does,” Michelle says. “She is a really strong swimmer. But we knew early on that the water was just too
Mike Gafa with his dog Ruby that was swept out to sea on Sunday after swimming at Tahunanui Beach. Photo: Charles Anderson
SEE PAGE 2
Rare military funeral for war hero Charles Anderson Editor
charles@nelsonweekly.co.nz
The region will play host to the only full military funeral in recent memory when one of New Zealand’s most decorated soldiers
is laid to rest next week. Major-General Walter “Sandy” Babington Thomas died in Australia at the age of 98 last month but will be brought back to his home in Riwaka for a funeral worthy of his service to both New Zealand and the British armed
forces. Over the years he was shot at, bombed, stabbed and imprisoned during a “highly thrilling and successful military career,” according to his family obituary. As a 17-year-old, Sandy signed up for the territorials in 1935, ly-
ing about his age in the process. “He was a bit of a rebel,” says local RSA president Barry Pont. “He was a revered and a quite humble man.” Representatives of New Zealand’s military will attend the funeral, as well as an honour guard and fir-
ing party. Barry says he can’t remember when such an honour was afforded to such a distinguished soldier. Sandy served in the Middle East, Italy and Japan during his 32-year
SEE PAGE 3
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