Tap - Graham Fradelle Tapper

It is with sorrow that I report on 3 January 2013 we lost our good mate Tap to an aortic aneurism.

 He would be pleased that I posted this picture of him.

Twenty nine young men assembled (together with some others who were to head off to university) as Forest Ranger Trainees in February 1962, almost 51 years ago. This was for an induction course of some six weeks, where many of us bonded to some extent, and then we were divided into groups of 'our own conservancies'.

Conservancies were roughly geographical areas based on provinces as a managerial tool for the New Zealand Forest Service.

My home conservancy was Canterbury and there were five Canterbury boys: Graham Tapper, Les Seaward; Tony Russell, Colin Goodrich and Gordon Baker.

This meant that the six of us worked together for our year of practical training. We spent time at the forests of Kakahu, Raincliff, Ashley, Hanmer and Omihi as well as some logging at a private farm at Waimate. Only at Ashley and Hanmer were there cookhouses/forest camps, the other places we were batching in old and rundown farm houses and did our own cooking.
There are many stories of those days, but maybe not for here, but as I had a vehicle, we all travelled together.Graham, to show his appreciation insisted that I was to be his first passenger when he gained his [proposed] glider pilot ticket. Of course it never happened because of his accident, but I could imagine that flying with Tap would be at the least - exhilarating!

Following that first year, we studied (mainly) indigenous forestry (protection, production and management) at the Reefton Ranger School including the wild animal (then called noxious animal) control at Dip Flat.

 Tap is the forth face from the left of the standing guys.

 Our third year was spent at the Forestry Training Center at Rotorua where we studied all aspects of exotic forestry  from roading through establishment to harvesting.

For some of us the friendships forged in the first year stuck, and other friendships were forged in the following two years through closes association and like-minded philosophies.

We have biennial get-togethers  at various places and very good contact with all of us is through the efforts of Ross Lockyer.

After the Rotorua year, we went our separate ways into branches of forestry that took our fancy at the time. The completion of the fourth year would give us out Forest Ranger ticket - qualification.

Myself, I opted for general forestry and was posted to Naesby Forest. Tap opted for logging and was posted to Kaiangaroa Forest. 

During that first year Tap was injured in a freak logging accident that left him without the use of his legs and he remained in a wheelchair for some 47 years. We were told that he was the oldest living paraplegic in New Zealand.

Tap was always a practical, good humored guy with a can-do attitude which helped him in his rehabilitation and establishing himself in a new and unexpected life. He retained his love for the outdoors.

Importantly he married Annabel and was a very proud father of two and a granddad to four.

His work at the Burwood Hospital Spinal Unit is where his inspirational character really came out! Not only did he mentor people who were patients at the unit but he inspired them by example that being wheelchair bound was a new direction, challenge and full life.

If Tap wanted to do something he would find a way - maybe a long way, but a way.

For his work in the Spinal Unit he received a New Zealand Order of Merit but even so we forestry lads believe him to be a hero, an unsung hero!

Tap stayed with us when he came with Barry and me to attend Jack Palmer's funeral [that's Jack standing on Tap's right in the photo]. His disability only manifested itself because we have steps at our house and not a ramp, therefore I had to help him up - otherwise he was so organized, her was just a mate visiting.

Unfortunately he followed me to Dunedin in his car as we intended to go in different direction, and as he lost sight of me for a few moments, he sped up to catch me. The cop followed him into the supermarket carpark and despite my attempt a diplomacy, he recieved a $100 speeding ticket!

Tap and Annabel set up a caravan and they parked in our yard on their first [and as it turned out, last] expedition. I was able to make a few minor adjustments for his ramp, but they had it very well set up very well.

Appropriately, Tap's funeral was large and there was much to say, but Colin Goodrich's final words were, 'It may be an oft used cliche, but Tap did indeed leave the world better than how he found it.'

Some pictures.

  The young Graham Tapper.

 

Tap in the center, with John Reid and Rob Woodney rest at the corner waiting for transport.

Our training made us fit and taught us good techniques of bushcraft and living healthily in what these days may be termed as primitive conditions.

 Hard, physical work. Planting trees on a shingle scree at Craigeburn. This was done to prevent erosion [and probably introduced species that that are hard to get rid of today].

Tap sitting there in the green shirt, not looking at the camera.

Grouped again waiting for transport.





Fly Tap!