John Pallot
I've just learned that a good friend of mine, John Pallot has died, he was 82.
I first met John in the mid '80s, when we were both members of the Plains Club, in Christchurch.
The Plains Club was set up in an attempt to save the ANZUS Alliance. Many members were ex-military (John was a former Royal navy commander), apalled at the Labour Government's shameful treatment of our US and Australian allies, over the nuclear issue.
I was a younger member and a bit of a hothead. John was a moderating influence on myself and the other younger activists.
He encouraged us to research the "peace movement" however. We expected to find a few commies in the movement. We didn't expect to find that the commies totally controlled the movement.
That research, began more than 20 years ago, formed the backbone of the anti-communist profiles often featured in this blog.
Though he spoke like an Eton educated aristocrat, John was a 5th generation Kiwi, born, I think, in Gisborne.
His family took him to England in the '30s, where John joined the Royal Navy as a young teenager.
John served in WW2, then stayed in the Navy, serving as a commander during the Suez Crisis of '56.
John served in "J Force" in Japan after the war, where he fell in love with both Japanese culture and his new bride and lifelong companion.
In the late' 40s John studied at the School for African and Oriental Studies in London, where he developed his understanding of Chinese culture. Years later he realised that one of his classmates was Gordon Lonsdale. Ostensibly a Canadian businessman, Lonsdale was in fact Soviet masterspy, Konon Molody, later arrested and exchanged over a Navy spy scandal.
John was always highly suspicious of the Soviet Union, but was pretty soft on China. He always thought the best of China, mainly because of his love for oriental culture. This caused some hot debates between us, but I'm pretty sure John began to see through China's friendly facade in recent years.
John was a real patriot and a brilliant networker and bridge-builder. He worked through National, but always supported ACT. He was active in the NZ Defense Association, the Navy League, the NZ International Affairs Association and helped organise countless conferences, meetings and think tanks.
Almost all his political activities were centred around defence, particularly naval and maritime security issues.
John was a real gentleman. He was one of the cheeriest and most optimistic people I have ever met.
One of his two daughters June, a prominent accounting lecturer, died of cancer, a couple of years ago. Though deeply saddened, John never faltered and was soon back to networking and organising for the defence of his country.
John Pallot was a great friend.
Till we meet again.
I first met John in the mid '80s, when we were both members of the Plains Club, in Christchurch.
The Plains Club was set up in an attempt to save the ANZUS Alliance. Many members were ex-military (John was a former Royal navy commander), apalled at the Labour Government's shameful treatment of our US and Australian allies, over the nuclear issue.
I was a younger member and a bit of a hothead. John was a moderating influence on myself and the other younger activists.
He encouraged us to research the "peace movement" however. We expected to find a few commies in the movement. We didn't expect to find that the commies totally controlled the movement.
That research, began more than 20 years ago, formed the backbone of the anti-communist profiles often featured in this blog.
Though he spoke like an Eton educated aristocrat, John was a 5th generation Kiwi, born, I think, in Gisborne.
His family took him to England in the '30s, where John joined the Royal Navy as a young teenager.
John served in WW2, then stayed in the Navy, serving as a commander during the Suez Crisis of '56.
John served in "J Force" in Japan after the war, where he fell in love with both Japanese culture and his new bride and lifelong companion.
In the late' 40s John studied at the School for African and Oriental Studies in London, where he developed his understanding of Chinese culture. Years later he realised that one of his classmates was Gordon Lonsdale. Ostensibly a Canadian businessman, Lonsdale was in fact Soviet masterspy, Konon Molody, later arrested and exchanged over a Navy spy scandal.
John was always highly suspicious of the Soviet Union, but was pretty soft on China. He always thought the best of China, mainly because of his love for oriental culture. This caused some hot debates between us, but I'm pretty sure John began to see through China's friendly facade in recent years.
John was a real patriot and a brilliant networker and bridge-builder. He worked through National, but always supported ACT. He was active in the NZ Defense Association, the Navy League, the NZ International Affairs Association and helped organise countless conferences, meetings and think tanks.
Almost all his political activities were centred around defence, particularly naval and maritime security issues.
John was a real gentleman. He was one of the cheeriest and most optimistic people I have ever met.
One of his two daughters June, a prominent accounting lecturer, died of cancer, a couple of years ago. Though deeply saddened, John never faltered and was soon back to networking and organising for the defence of his country.
John Pallot was a great friend.
Till we meet again.
posted by Trevor Loudon at
9/11/2007 11:00:00 PM
11 Comments:
A touching eulogy, and my sympathies in losing your good friend. Interesting to know something of where your information comes from. I'm amazed at the depth of your knowledge on the issue of communist political influences in NZ. Your site is a wonderful resource for anyone who understands what's really going down in this country.
I commiserate with you Trev, over the death of a man you knew and obviously respected and cared for.
There are of course many who felt the same way about Syd Jackson.....don't mean to be indelicate at this moment Trev but I do respectfully suggest that there was a certain indelicacy in your comments about that man, on his passing.....
Particularly since some of the essential stuff you had to say was actually false.....unwittingly maybe, but false.
Doesn't hurt us to pause and "walk in the moccasins" Trev. Sometimes makes us better people I reckon.
My condolences Trevor. What Redbaiter said. Thanks for such a great site. Make sure you save it to disk regularly lest you get a "court order" one day and have to distribute it the old fashioned email way. Cheers.
Talk about paranoia !
Redbaiter and Kevin-thanks very much.
Steve-I take your point. I was in two minds about posting on Syd Jackson so soon, but I thought it best to counter some of the myths the MSM has been spreading about the man.
While it may be hurtful to Jackson's friends and rellies to see the man criticised so shortly after his death, I make no apologies.
Syd Jackson tried to take away my freedom. He colluded with some of the most obnoxious communists and indigeno-fascists on the planet, to wreck my country.
He never apologised for this and as far as I know, went to his grave unrepentant.
He obviously thought he was doing the right thing, but no doubt so did Hitler and Pol Pot.
It is every individual's responsibility to make judgements and name evil for what it is.
Judge me for this if you will.
Your response doesn't surprise me Trev - I repeat - one rule for you and yours, another for everyone else - a patent characteristic of the extreme far right. On a scale starting with you (merely unattractive) to zionist Mah (grossly fanatical - now come on Trev, in your heart of hearts that's how you too see Mah).
But to get back to the foul double standard - you laud and honour your late friend for his lifelong preocupation with "defence". Syd Jackson on the other hand was a "disgrace" for preoccupying himself with "defence" - the defence of his people.
Some disgrace !
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jeepers I can't even spell EXOCET's name! Oh my goodness ..he is ACT though! Sorry EXOCET...NOT
Huhana
Steve. My allegiance is to New Zealand-if my allegiance was to "white NZ" you could justifiably call me a racist.
Syd jackson, regardless of any admirable personal qualities he may of had was a militant racist and a Marxist.
Both disgraceful things in my book.
Yes, my sympathies Trev,Mr Pallot sounded like a fine chap.
Not suprising that steve defends a marxist racist and an advocate of armed revolution and civil war.He defends Chavez after all (when are you off steve? - the revolution in Venezula needs you!).
And Huhana, it's spelt E-X-O-C-E-T.
I've never been a member of ACT or any other political organisation. Your apology is accepted however.
EXOCET
Correction time Exo - months ago, when I first came upon this blog, I took a pose against the anti-Chavez, anti-Venezuela wailing found here. Talk about Mah's "Great Satan" number - another thing I never said by the way.
It seemed to me plainly unsustainable that the Mahs and Reids and others could declaim "totalitarianism" while at the same time abusing repeated democratic outcomes in Venezuela.
Then I sorted it out - the Mahs, Reids, et al, well they don't oppose totalitarianism and like manifestations at all. They love them, but only when it's "their" boys doing the number. For example the IDF, South African apartheid, The Chickenhawk. Democracy is a load of bullshit when invoked against "their" boys.
This moral and intellectual dishonesty, especially when fanatically expressed, appalls me. Worse, I'm expected to accept it without murmur, on pain of pathetic claims of "bullying".
These fetid armchair generals, all tin-soldiered up, give not a thought to what their "plans" for the world will do to human beings in far off places.
The human beings who would suffer the consequences of their moral and intellectual dishonesty, their immaturity, as reflected in their vulgar histrionics.....it's your choice to be like them or not Exo.
Metaphorically packing me off to Venezuela, especially without literal offer of sizeable contribution to the business class fare, is just silly.....
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