Places

Date: 01-31 08 2006

From: Methven Heritage Project - RSA and Arable oral history project

By: Lochhead, Arthur William Allan, 1915-2008

Reference: OHInt-0920-11

Description: Lived in Ashburton 1915-2008. Backgrounds parents Arthur Osborn Lochhead and Kathleen Alma Lochhead (nee Ruddenklau) who ran a mixed farm at Mount Somers. Recalls leaving farm at ten years to come to Methven when his father went shearing. After leaving school worked at Hobbs seed cleaning store. Details sewing bags on tin mill and poisoning rabbits while working at Rangaitata Island farm for Frank Ruddenklau, his uncle. Says he then drove tractor and plough at Springfield estate farm for his grandfather Frederick Ruddenklau. Refers to being held back from World war Two service for 12 months because he was head sewer on the header. Says he left in 1941 from Wellington on board the Aquitania after three months training as a driver at Trentham. Refers to his three brothers going to war. Describes voyage via Fremantle, South Africa, the Red Sea to arrive at Port Tewfik, Egypt. Talks about training at Maadi Camp to be in 6 RMT (Reserve Mechanical Transport). Discusses transport of petrol and water and conditions in the desert, food, snakes, flies, clearing mine fields. Refers to taking 26th Battalion to Sidi Rezegh. Mentions brother George Lochhead in battle of Sidi Rezegh, being taken prisoner of war and getting the Victoria Cross medal. Talks about being present at El Alamein battle, everything bursting into fire at night, and being at Tobruk. Brief mention of Battle of Minqar Qaim, and a bullet through his radiator. Describes drinking sprees in Cairo, the Club, sightseeing at Pyramids and Nile River, Aswad Dam, hiring gharries. Talks about Methven and Districts reunion dinner in Cairo. Refers to getting pneumonia and having to go to Alexandria Hospital, then going to Palestine to recuperate. Says the whole DIV (2nd NZEF) went to Aleppo, Syria for six weeks working with refugees and road making. Mentions meeting Bedouins in the desert. Describes returning to Mersa Matruh with 23rd Battalion on board. Discusses mail and food parcels from home. Mentions role of Major Hood, the commander. Talks about driving at night time over the Apennines mountain range in Italy where the 6 RMT broke up. Talks about working in Mobile ambulance company on Italian front during winter. Says took wounded from the field and from the Casualty Clearing station and RAP, and took locals to Italian hospitals. Mentions Methven local nurse Natalie Currie bringing wounded. Talks about being based in Forli, sleeping in his ambulance and mortar bombs hitting it. Recalls General Freyberg visiting the 6 RMT and Winston Churchill coming on parade. Talks about playing cards, rugby, trying Italian wine. Had leave in Florence. Says sent pay home for his family. Talks about going to Trieste and being in Udine when the war ended. Describes hitch hiking via Milan, Genoa, Turin, Lake Como to Bari. Expands on trip on the 'Georgic' to Maadi Camp, Egypt, and on the 'Strathaird' passenger liner home. Says post war he worked at Mid Canterbury transport, Pudding Hill timber mill, Jackson's limeworks, Staveley. Refers to working for Arie Van Dyke and Lofty Chambers, and then becoming partners with Chambers in a potatoe farm. Says he set up own business in the 1960s. Recalls building a brick house in Methven when he married his first wife Jean in 1958 who died in 1972. Talks about remarriage to Alma Rowney. Says bought 84 acre triangle Cambrose Village and sold land for the Methven Motor Services building. Describes land improvements. Says he rented the Methven race course to grow potatoes and wheat on rotation. Refers to growing cocksfoot, white clover, barley, wheat, French oats and ran sheep. Refers to growing grain on contract. Says was first to grow Rua poatatoes in Methven. Refers to Dakota potatoe and keeping potatoes in pits against frost. Describes transition from horse teams to tractors, headers replacing thrashing mills, changing from manpower to a transport hoist for lifting potatoe 70lb bags. Refers to snow storms, impact of droughts, Lyndhurst irrigation Scheme. Talks about using sprays, arsenic, reglone. Mentions topdressing with fertiliser. Says retired in 1988 to garden. Interviewer(s) - Nicola Robertson Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-016760 - OHC-016765 Quantity: 6 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2 Electronic document(s). 1 interview(s). 6 Hours Duration. Physical Description: Textural files - Adobe PDF Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-6033, OHDL-001828. Search dates: 1915 - 2006