Mount Maunganui RSA has produced a new tribute to late Dam Buster Squadron Leader, hero of the community, and “super man” John Leslie ‘Les’ Munro.
A huge photo of a Lancaster bomber, identical to the one Les piloted, plus several pieces of art depicting his life before, during, and following World War Two were unveiled during an official ceremony.
Joining representatives from the Mount RSA to unveil the tribute this morning were Les’ son and grandson, Graeme and Tom, renowned photographer Alf Rendell, Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless, and local MPs Simon Bridges and Todd Muller.
The wall art, plus posters and information on the famous movie The Dam Busters which premiered in Wellington in 1955, have gone up on display alongside a life-size glass figure of Les at the RSA’s Munro Restaurant which was renamed in his honour in 2014.
“This tribute is excellent, it has taken a while to put together, but the Mount RSA has done a fabulous job, it’s come up really well,” says Les’ son Graeme Munro.
“My favourite thing about the tribute is it depicts all of dad’s life, from his time on the farm, through to his war service, up to his post-war years when he was in community service and representing people in the Waitomo/King Country area.
“Dad would have been very humbled by this. He wasn’t one looking for public attention, he would have been abashed by this type of display.”
– Read the full article with pictures at: http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/150883-new-tribute-to-les-munro-unveiled.html#sthash.gZpHxkik.dpuf
