Digger attack on Gisborne army office

[Dave Homewood]

This is a little on the extreme side
www.stuff.co.nz/3971046a11.html


Digger attack on Gisborne army office
By BRUCE CUTLER - Wellington | Friday, 23 February 2007

A MAN calmly walked into a Hiremaster shop, hired a 12-tonne digger and used it to begin demolishing Gisborne's Army Recruitment Office.


The man, believed to be a former soldier, went to a hire centre at 8am yesterday to arrange for the machine to be delivered to the front of the army building in Palmerston Road.

Witnesses said that once the digger was delivered the man calmly started the machine and began using the bucket to demolish a large chunk of the entranceway to the army office, rip down the building's main NZ Army sign and smash windows.

Sergeant Lincoln Sycamore said the man "then parked up the digger, got in his car and drove to the police station and gave himself up".

"We were just responding to calls about the incident when he arrived at the police station and admitted what he had done". Sergeant Sycamore would not elaborate on what explanation the man gave for his actions other than to say "he obviously had some issues".

Charmaine Pene of Defence Public Relations said damage to the three-year-old building was in the thousands of dollars.

Major Pene said three staff usually worked in the office but none were there at the time.

"We don't understand the motivation behind the incident." She would not comment on reports that the man was a former soldier.

A spokesman at Martins Hiremaster said the man appeared "fine" when he paid for the hire.

"From what I can gather he has spent some time in the army so he's spent some time on similar machines before."

A 40-year-old Gisborne man was charged with criminal damage and bailed into the care of Mental Health Services to appear in Gisborne District Court on February 28.

[phil]

I wonder if it was Firmin, he's certainly known to the Army, and us. He's the nut job that took the base WO hostage and set up IEDs in the HQ building in WB. He was trying to get an aircraft to take him to Wgtn to confront the CGS or CDF at the time.

Apparently he was recently released, we had a security alert warning about him.

[Dave Homewood]

When did that happen Phil, the Woodbourne event?

[phil]

I was on mechs course at the time, it must have been early 1997. All very exciting, we had the STG landing by helicopter on the GSTS parade ground.

We were evacuated to the GTW gym for a couple of hours, then sent back to baracks by climbing the fence at the Blenheim end of base and crossing the main road there. Our course ended up on the news that night, marching home along the side of the road. We had to keep clear of the main base road that ran from the main gate to the HQ building because it was thought he had a rifle. It turned out it was a crossbow, but no one was taking chances at the time that he wouldn't start shooting down the road. I remember we were allowed to cross right down by the cafe, but had to run, we were told not to linger there. The mess put on a lunch on the grass behind the club for everyone.

He was talked out in the end, and the IEDD operator sent in to deal with the bombs. They were jars full of powergell and ball bearings, but he hadn't rigged up all the firing circuits he had prepared. What happened to him after that I have no details, but he was obviously released in the recent past, becuase a warning was issued to everyone to be on the lookout and keep clear of him.

[Dave Homewood]

Amazing. I was in the UK at that time which will be why I haven't heard of this.

Was he an airman running amuck or some nutter civvie?

I recall a scandal some time before this, which I don't know many details to as it happened at base Auckland I think and we at Wigram heard about it through the usual grapevine filters, but a young chap who'd been on junior armourer's course the same time as I was at 1TTS doing my SEQ course in early 1991, had taken a gun and threatened to kill his Dad, then shot himself in the head. He didn't die but we heard he'd blown his chin off or something. I always felt sorry for him after hearing that, he was a cocky fella but a nice enough guy to know. What a life he must have lead afterwards. Anyway the Provos got all anti after the event and seached all the armourer's rooms for some reason, and two of them were found to have rounds and explosives hidden under their beds. I recall the name of one of them but don';t rememebr who the other was. The one I remember was the best mate of the guy who blew his face off. He was a right arrogant smug bastard, as I recall. I wonder what the upshot of all this was in the end, and how the chap who shot himself got on afterwards, poor sod.

I really never found out what it was all about but I'd known them all being in 1TTS with them all only a few months before. There are some funny goings on even in the military, just shows they're all human I guess. There was even a murder at Hobsonville in the 1970's.

[Calum]

So what is this Firmin's problem/issue? Seems funny the army let him go without making sure (to the best of it's ability) he's "normal or not a threat to soecity.

[phil]

The story I heard was the Firmin was an ex soldier that had been injured in Singapore. He had been invalided out of the army, but held some grudge about the whole incident, I think he felt the army owed him money or compensation of some sort. This is what we were told, although if this is exactly right I don't know.

[Dave Homewood]

Well, I can understand a little of where he may have been coming from, though not condoning him at all. But it's a crock what they tell you when you join up - like we were told - that if you're injured in the RNZAF they'll take care of the costs for the rest of your life for that injury if there are any costs.

I receieved a wrist injury, diagnosed initially and treated as RSI, from packing parachutes. While I was in of course the Base hospital staff were excellent, ACC coughed up for treatment and all was good. However after I'd gotten out the injury flared up again, identical place in my wrist, and so i went to a proper top notch wrist specialist. She said it was the orignal injury from years before, it had been misdiagnosed and mis treated - and though it felt ok for a few years, it wasn't In fact it wasn't RSI at all and all the physio I'd had was the worst thing that could have been done. Several ligaments and tendons in the wrist had been severed, and of five tiny bones in there, three were floating around unattached! No wonder I used to get pain when doing heavy lifting, etc.

Of course this happened before Labour did their one good move of scrapping Nationals' independent workplace insurers. So work's insurer was claiming it was an old injury and was ACC's problem (correctly). ACC said it was a new injury so the insurance comapny's problem. Either way I had to leave work as my wrist no longer worked.

I knew it was the old injury, the specialist confirmed this and ACC's second opinion doctor also backed this up, and I wrote to the RNZAF and got my medical records to back up further that ACC had covered it before and needed to again. I asked the RNZAF for their support in backing up my claim. No. Never heard from them, apart from getting my records. I repeatedly pointed out to ACC that there was a huge f*ck up when i was in the RNZAF and my RNZAF contract stated they would take care of it. They wouldn't have it. I needed an operation worth $14,000 to right the injury. I was not working, had spent all my savings on bills, and eventually had to plead for sickness benefit which was difficult because they too agreed it was ACC's responsibility. Luckily they gave me Sickness benefit till it was sorted out. Finally after nearly 8 months of battling, trying to scrape a living togetehr on nothing and having a useless wrist where I couldn't write or make a sandwich, etc, ACC suddenly changed their mind and funded everything. They gave me backdated pay which was much more than sickness benefit. They paid for the op and for recuperation.

I was probably a week away from breaking point when they finally relented, and came to the party with their responsibility. A few weeks after that someone inthe same position as me - ie being screwed around for months by ACC - went into a branch and stabbed his case manager to death. It was shocking, but i could sympathise. i've heard several other people say the same thing about the way they were treated by ACC. Yet some people get royal treatment. A friend of mine spent about a year on ACC for a broken ankle, and was claiming several other benefits at the same time (including signing her boyfriend up for the dole without telling him!! he was working). The system stinks.

It sucks when some idiot can drink drive and get ACC instantly, or someone playing rugby, instant cash, or even prisoners trying to escape - big payouts. My injury was gained in the service of my country under a contract which i was told insured that I'd always be covered for injuries in the service, and those bastards turned their backs on me when I needed their help to sort it out.

Funnily enough the RNZAF doctor who handled my case then was the same doc who misdiagnosed it all thsoe years before. I had no malice towards him for that, but he certainly didn't have any interest in righting his wrong. He's still in now, I saw his photo in the latest RNZAF News.

So, don't go relying on the service backing you up if you injure yourself. Or ACC.

[phil82]

Dave, the 'murder' was at Whenuapai. in the Os Mess quarters. As I reacall, it involved two female officers, one a nurse, who were having a 'relationship' which was frowned on in those days. When the air force found out the facts, the reaction, typical of the time, was to post one of them out of Auckland, and the other decided if she couldn't have her no one could, and cut her throat! The cries for help were heard, but I can't recallby whom at this point, although I did know them!.

[phil82]

I've only ever had one brush with ACC, and I can see why there are now a number of specialised lawyers taking them on on behalf of clients. They seemed to want to prove me a liar at every stage; indeed, they seem to operate from that premise. There are no doubt people who defraud them as with any insurance, but they seem to confuse genuine cases with a latent attempt to cheat.. In the end, I took all the paperwork to a lawyer, who wrote one letter outlining the facts, and ACC capitulated. It's a great scheme, the best in the world, but run by cretins at all levels.

[Dave Homewood]

I fully agree with you on ACC - they do treat you as if you're lying and are scum. And yes they are cretins at every level. I got into the habit of phoning my case manager every two days for months, asking for an update - every single time the same answer "We're having a specialist doctor look at your case notes tomorrow and will have news in a few days." It wore thin after several weeks, but she continued to use it as her fob off of me.

I even had the specialist who disgnosed my real problem and my GP write to them. It didn't help. I never thought about going to a lawyer, I should have.

As for the murder, I had not heard of that one at all - the one I recall hearing about was at Hobsonville and it was a F/Sgt male there who killed his wife (civvie) I think in a MQ, and it wasn't till about 15 years later forensics proved he'd done it. He went down for the murder a few years ago.

[rnzafhusband]

Dave, I reckon you are right on the money there with that Murder on Hobby, I think it was in the 80's tho? And the bloke who did it buried his wife in a shallow grave up in Woodhill Forest. Another bloke walking his dog stumbled across the remains, and the villan was either tied somehow to the evidence or gave himself up. I recall hearing a story that he could'nt live with the guilt and when the remains were finally found, he confessed to the crime.

[tibor]

rnzafhusband said:

Dave, I reckon you are right on the money there with that Murder on Hobby, I think it was in the 80's tho? And the bloke who did it buried his wife in a shallow grave up in Woodhill Forest. .

That would be Yvonne Bennett, who was murdered in 1982 by her husband Warwick Bennett. He was a SGT helicopter crewman at that time IIRC. They had a MQ in the married patch at Hobsonville.
I actually met him while he was doing his lag at Mt Eden prison in 1996 (or thereabouts) when the NZDF were called in after the prison guards went on strike. He got a 10 year sentence.

[Bruce]

I guess the RNZAF is like any other segment of NZ society, despite the best screening there are those with psychological issues of different sorts. In some ways the military environment could be a factor in pushing them over the edge, although likewise established support pathways etc are avilable as well, preventing others from tipping. What sort of support services are currently offered by the RNZAF in this regard? are they available after discharge (when most likely to be needed due to the change of environment and culture)?

[tibor]

bruce said:

I guess the RNZAF is like any other segment of NZ society, despite the best screening there are those with psychological issues of different sorts. In some ways the military environment could be a factor in pushing them over the edge, although likewise established support pathways etc are avilable as well, preventing others from tipping. What sort of support services are currently offered by the RNZAF in this regard? are they available after discharge (when most likely to be needed due to the change of environment and culture)?

There is free and unlimited access to seeing RNZAF psychologists (industrial psychs, as opposed to psychaiatrists) and the chaplains/padres, who would probably be the first point of contact if there were any emotional-type problems. Either of these avenues could refer you on to any other type of support as required (eg counselling). I'm not too sure how you would get on after you left the service though.
The discharge process is (or should be) set up to try and ease people into civilian life, with a period of resettlement training if you have been in long enough. These days people who get out do so of their own accord - gone are the days of age-for-rank, or the 20 year mark being your last day in blue, so they generally should be mentally ready to make the transition themselves anyway.

[Calum]

After seeing how the ADF look after their people when they leave I'd never let my kids join the NZDF.

Here, any injury you get during your service, and that includes those playing sport, is compensated for when you leave or even after you've left (as long as it's proven), either by ongoing care or a lump sum that would cover the treatment. My wife received an amount for doing her knee playing netball and Touch. My father in law has been out since 1974 but stills get free treatment for all sorts (mind you he;s a Vietnam Vet). I know quite a few ex sailors who get pensions for injurys sustained whilst in the service (many football/fitness injuries). I've never heard of this from the NZDF.

Sure they have had some issues (F-111 reseal/deseal) but most guys and gals are well looked after.

I (like many I reckon) ended up with tinnitus after my service. It was mentioned before I left and although there's nothing that can really be done I was sent to see a specialist. That's was about the end of it. here I woudl be entitled to some form of compensation.

maybe things ahve changed since then (1994)

[Dave Homewood]

Actually I think the proportion of nutters in the Air Force is considerably lower than in general civvie society. Sure, there are a few. Some caused by domestic problems which is hardly the RNZAF's ault in some cases. Others may be caused by alcoholism but I'd say that's a minimal factor as very few alchies get through life unrecoginised in that environment compared to general society.

For example, if I go down my local pub on a Saturday night I can spot several alcoholics who simply go there every day and get sloshed. No-one offers them any assistance, they just get served till they're tanked up, then they're chucked out onto the street. In the RNZAF if someone was recognised to have a problem, something was done. A trip to Hanmer Springs was arranged, plus councelling and all the works. I knew a couple of recovering alcoholics. I knew very few who were current alcoholics - except one mad Scottish old GSH called Jock at Hobby, but he added to the maritime flavour of the base. When he was tanked, it felt like you were in a bar on the dockside. I remember he used to accost the unsuspecting with "Hey you, come 'ere Jimmy" when they approached he'd that say in his thick Scottish brogue, "F*ck off, f*ck off, before I say f*ck off!" It was quite a laugh. He and his portly tabby cat got drunk every night in the Airman's Club. Ah, happy days.

Anyway, the only other alcoholic I recall who no-one did anything about was my F/Sgt who did no work anyway so wasn't a danger. He never even made decisions, he'd um and are till one of the baggies made a suggestion and then that would be 'his' decision. Classic.

When I was in I never heard of anyone snapping and running amuck, no murders, nothing like that. There was a spate of suicides at Whenuapai, there were at least four in a few months and the RNZAF's reaction was to lift the moratorium on spending they had on Base Auckland so they could rennovate and clean up the depressing barrack blocks there. It seemed to me to be an odd reaction, decorate to prevent suicide, but it seemed to do the trick as they stopped.

[Dave Homewood]

calum said:

Here, any injury you get during your service, and that includes those playing sport, is compensated for when you leave or even after you've left (as long as it's proven), either by ongoing care or a lump sum that would cover the treatment.

Indeed, that is what we were promised when I signed my contract, and to my displeasure found it was not the case.

My father in law has been out since 1974 but stills get free treatment for all sorts (mind you he;s a Vietnam Vet). I know quite a few ex sailors who get pensions for injurys sustained whilst in the service (many football/fitness injuries). I've never heard of this from the NZDF.

A couple of times when I was based at Wigram and sitting in the Base Hospital waiting room I noted some old people waiting too. One day one of them was a real old codger with a bushy white beard. I asked a medic what the story was and he said that once a week they held a free clinic for ex-servicemen and women. That guy had served in the Navy in WWII. It made me bloody proud of the RNZAF at the time, doing that for our veterans.

[tibor]

admin said:

one mad Scottish old GSH called Jock at Hobby, but he added to the maritime flavour of the base. When he was tanked, it felt like you were in a bar on the dockside... It was quite a laugh. He and his portly tabby cat got drunk every night in the Airman's Club. Ah, happy days.

I was working behind the baggies bar at Hobby one night when that pr*ck was there. He got completely written off on beer with whiskey chasers then proceeded to try & drive home. He just missed hitting my car then side-swiped a jumbo bin. I was trying to get the keys out of the ignition when he roared off again (nearly taking my arm off in the process) straight into another jumbo bin outside 1TTS, where he fell asleep. I called the provost and I later heard he got a "stern talking to" and that was it...

admin said:

There was a spate of suicides at Whenuapai, there were at least four in a few months and the RNZAF's reaction was to lift the moratorium on spending they had on Base Auckland so they could rennovate and clean up the depressing barrack blocks there. It seemed to me to be an odd reaction, decorate to prevent suicide, but it seemed to do the trick as they stopped.

Actually, a little more was done than simply redecorating the barrack blocks - although redecoration was badly needed. Shortly afterwards the "in loco parentis" scheme was started, as the very young airmen were identified as being the most at-risk group. This was a system where airmen who were under 18 years old were "mentored" by older airmen and more attention was paid to them by the system. They had activities organised for them to get them to socialise and interact with others in and out of the air force environment. This recognised that the air force was now their de-facto parents and, as such, had a responsibility to teach them their new way of life. Under-18's were identified by a distinctive gold wagon wheel on their rank slides and were known as "wheelies".
This got them out of the baggies bar to try and lessen the effect of the drinking culture. It also highlighted to their superiors that they were very young and extra attention was paid to their progress and the more touchy-feely aspects of their lives.
I recall at the time that a lot more attention was paid by management to their subordinates and their general well-being and this has gone on to become part of the overall air force culture - looking after the troops.
That particular era was not a happy one for Whenuapai, but I think some good did come from it eventually.

[Dave Homewood]

Yes, Jock was a nasty piece of work sometimes. He often had his old girlfriend there to drive him I remember, but she was usually almost as plastered as him. It could be quite comical to we youngsters at the time, I was just 19 and hadn't seen a barfly drunk before. But it was quite sad really, and I wonder these days what became of Jock and his Mrs.

I didn't know about that project at Whenuapai. Interesting stuff. By the time things began to happen I was at 1TTS and then Wigram. I don't recall seeing 'Wheelies' at Wigram so it must have been localised to Auckland. But I do recall that Wigram had a fantastic Cafe next to the Airmen's Club, and that those too young to drink in the Baggies would socialise there as it had friendly staff and a great atmosphere. They never had the problems Auckland had, but it was a far, far better base in all respects than any other - so they closed it.