A life less ordinary

15th May 2009

by Anne-Marie Emerson

John Auret credits the Wanganui Chronicle for giving him the push to write his life's story.

That autobiography, May You Never Be Weary, has been published by Steele Roberts and will be officially launched tomorrow.

Several years ago, Mr Auret visited the Wanganui Chronicle's then-assistant editor, Gayelene Holly, to discuss a series of articles about his life experiences.

As Mr Auret tells it, Ms Holly took one look at Mr Auret's bag full of papers and journals and said, "For heavens sake, go away and write a book!"

He started writing it the next day.

Mr Auret has lived a life less ordinary. In his 94 years - "I'm doing quite well, as far as age goes" - he has seen the fall of empires, lived with tribesmen in Afghanistan, hunted man-eating tigers, been a farmer in Kenya. . .and taught at Wanganui Collegiate.

Mr Auret was born in 1914 in what was then known as Fort Sanderman, in the Zhob province of India, now part of Pakistan.

He was brought up and educated in Britain, and he and his brother joined the British India Army.

"We had a military tradition in our family - we joined the army because our father was in it."

In the late 1930s, Mr Auret was seconded to the Frontier Corps - a specialist unit separate from the British Army - and was charged with keeping order among the tribes that lived on the border between Afghanistan and India [now Pakistan].

"It was not an easy job. There were constant blood feuds among the tribes."

Mr Auret reached the rank of major and had 1000 Pashtuns - Afghani tribesmen - under his command.

He speaks fluent Pashto, Urdu and "a bit of Punjabi". But it all came to an end in 1947, when India gained independence from Britain.

"We all lost our jobs. I was a married man by this stage, but I just didn't know what to do next."

His parents had retired to Kenya, so Mr Auret and his wife followed them and bought a farm.

In the early 1960s, it was a case of history repeating itself, as Kenya declared independence and Europeans began leaving the country in the unstable political climate.

"We couldn't sell the farm; we had to leave everything and walk out. Almost everyone did."

Mr Auret had heard glowing reports about New Zealand, so he decided to bring his family here.

"I arrived by ship in Auckland with my wife and my four children, and I thought, `What do I do now?'"

Eventually, he talked his way into a job at Wanganui Collegiate, where he taught English and geography. He also taught at Wanganui Boys' College [now City College].

Mr Auret described his book as a personal history. "This is my personal experience - the grassroots approach to history."

With many years' worth of diaries, letters and papers, it took him only a few weeks to write the book - but several years to find a publisher.

He said he was looking forward to the book launch.

"I've never even been to a book launch before." It will be just another experience in a life full of remarkable experiences.