Mourners gather at Ohakea to remember Andrew Forster

MURRAY WILSON/Manawatu Standard

REMEMBERED: Flight Sergeant Andrew Forster was farewelled by about 1000 people at Ohakea Air Force Base today.

Flight Sergeant Remembered As A Hero

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About 1000 people gathered at Ohakea Air Force Base today for the funeral of Flight Sergeant Andrew Forster who died after an artillery shell explosion north of Waiouru last week.

Prime Minister John Key and Associate Defence Minister Heather Roy were among the dignitaries at the service, along with family, friends and Defence Force personnel.

Flight Sergeant Forster had served in the air force 27 years. He was 46.

A private family service was held before the public part of proceedings at the gymnasium at Ohakea.

Flight Sergeant Forster's father George spoke, reading a passage from the Old Testament of the bible. His widow Karen Langvald-Forster and the pair's three teenage children, Candice, Mitchell and Ashlee all spoke of a committed family man who worked hard separating his work life from his home life.

The family spoke of how they were blessed to have had the time they had with him.

Colleagues performed a haka as his coffin was taken away for burial.