Tilomar is the nearest town to where Leonard was killed.
Sergeant Major Phil Burgess
Letter to the Family
Phil BurgessDear Mr & Mrs Manning,
B Company
2/1 RNZIR
6 Aug 00I am Len's Company Sergeant Major and am writing to express my sincere sorrow and condolences on Len's tragic death. Please forgive me for taking so long to write this letter, I hope it doesn't upset you in anyway. I know you both and your family are trying to adjust and move forward. I also always addressed Len as Gilbert ( his nick name), so please forgive me if I use Gilbert as opposed to Len. I have thought long and hard about whether to write and I felt I must.
I first met Gilbert last year when he came to the company for exercise Taiha Tombek in Malaysia. My first impressions were, what a great young man he was. He came across as professional and dedicated, he always had a smile on his face and loved what he was doing, being a professional soldier. That was probably the most striking thing about Gilbert , he absolutely loved what he was doing, being a professional soldier and doing it well. When he was selected for B Company for deployment to East Timor at the end of last year, I was extremely pleased for him, such was the impression he had left on me during our trip to Malaysia.
I feel I got to know Gilbert quite well during the five months of quite intensive training prior to deploying to East Timor. Nothing changed from my first impressions of him the year before. The CSM isn't supposed to have favorites or the like, but he was one of a select few who were. This was based on his genuine approach, friendliness and professional work ethic. I think of this a lot and found it extremely refreshing in a young man today. A great many of his generation could have learnt a lot from him in this area.
On deployment to East Timor, Gilbert grew in stature. He threw himself into his work with great gusto. It was quite obvious to me he enjoyed every minute here in East Timor. He knew what he was doing, was helping in real terms a people who had been brutally oppressed and was proud of his achievements. The realization of a free and independent state was as much his goal as the people of East Timor.
Gilbert was very much liked and respected by his peers and superiors alike. Such was his repore with the men of B Company, 2/1 Battalion. Nothing was a bother and to help out a fellow soldier or an East Timorese civilian was a genuine pleasure to him. The day Gilbert was reported missing the company was is shock. It did not seem real or believable. Later that day when we had secured the feature where the contact had taken place there was no immediate sign of Gilbert. I would like you to know I found Gilbert a short time later and recount those events to you. I find them quite special and will never forget them.
I went down the hill with Cpl Ray Huria and he recounted the events to me, as we tried to work out which way Gilbert would have left the scene on contact. We could find no sign of Gilbert and sat on the side of the hill wondering where he could be. It was at this stage I was getting worried as it was getting late and I did not want to leave him out there either injured, hiding or dead, over night. As we sat there I was thinking out loud and said "Gilbert where the bloody hell are you?" Ray turned to me and said " what was that Sarmajor." I told him I said "Gilbert where the bloody hell are you?" As I said this for the second time a light hit his face and lit it up. Where before it was murky and all I could see was bushes I could make him out. He was looking up at me as if to say , I'm here Sarmajor hurry up and come and get me. I was initially very excited and yelled out to the medic, Kurt Blumers I had found him. I told Ray to get the Doc. and hurry up. I firmly believed he was alive but hurt as I swear he was looking up at me from below, still the light on his face. I raced down the hill and quickly realized he was gone, The first thing that hit me after the initial shock was that Len was looking the other way, yet I still believe to this day he was looking up at me when the light hit his face. I cannot explain the light on his face or the fact that he was looking up at me, but I know its the truth, I don't think I ever will. I took great comfort that Lens face was relaxed, peaceful and serene. He had not suffered in anyway..I spoke to Kurt and the Padre of the experience of how I had found Len and Kurt offered me the best explanation. He said Len had sent me a message to come and get him and take him home. It was time to be with his family. I will always cherish this and hope Gilbert was sending me that message.
The company felt a great sense of shock and loss, it was a very sad and solemn time. There was also anger, but the lads conducted themselves well. As Gilbert would have wanted they got on with the job in a very professional manner.
I think one of the saddest parts of the whole tragic incident from our point of view was we could not farewell our comrade at his funeral. This was very sad and the lads felt this deeply. As I spoke to the lads of the Company this became very evident. I suggested to a few of them that we should fly to Hamilton as a company group and have a memorial service with Gilbert and his family. This was very positively received, so I put the idea to the boss. I believe this has been passed onto you both and you are happy with the idea. The soldiers of B Company are very keen for this to occur on return to New Zealand.
Gilbert was a breath of fresh air and a young man of virtue and character. Mr and Mrs Manning you can be proud of a very fine son and professional soldier, I can assure you I am proud of him and always will be. What I have written is from the heart, I hope I have not upset you in anyway, these are my thoughts and feelings.
I hope to meet you both and your family when the company has the memorial service for Len.
My most sincere condolences.
Best wishes and Regards
Phil Burgess
When Leonard's Battalion returned to New Zealand in November they travelled to his grave in the Waikato for a memorial service with his family. ThIs photo shows Bravo Company at the welcome home parade in Christchurch. As a mark of respect for Leonard his mates left a gap in the ranks for him.
ON THE 24TH JULY 2000 A NZ TRACKING TEAM was following up suspected Militia sign at GS2271 in East Timor. At 1030hrs the tracking team was moving into feature .799 when it was engaged at 10 metres by a large group with 7.62mm and HE grenades.
The first two rounds were fired directly at Private Manning who was killed instantly. The team withdrew to a rally point under fire and then returned fire using 6.40mm HE grenades, 20 rounds of C9 LSW and small arms. The pursuing threat group was successfully repulsed and subsequently a Coy Operation was conducted to clear the position.
Leonard was the Lead Scout of his section. On this particular patrol, however, he was second in the line of trackers. He was not armed with his Steyr rifle but was carrying the much heavier Section machine gun.
It was obvious from later examination of his head wound that Leonard was looking upward and to his left in the direction of the person who fired the fatal shot. The bullet entered above his left eye and exited at the base of his skull on the right side.
There can therefore be no doubt that it was his observation skills that surprised the militia before they could ambush the entire team. The fact that he saw the militiaman, whose weapon was trained on him, cost him his life.
He would not have had sufficient time to give a warning or to raise the machine gun to a firing position before the first fatal shot was fired. This clearly was instrumental in saving the lives of his mates as it was these first shots that alerted them, enabling them to retreat and return fire, repulsing the much larger militia group. He died courageously in the service of his country and for the cause of peace in East Timor.
Leonard's main passion was soldiering. In particular he enjoyed pistol shooting, a skill he required when carrying the LSW, as he did on 24th July 2000 in East Timor.
The Leonard Manning Trophy which contains a rock taken from .799 feature where Leonard was killed is for pistol shooting and is to be competed for annually by members of 2nd/1st RNZIR.
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