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Date: 15 Feb 2006

From: Second World War oral history project: Home Front

By: Rowe, Hazel May, 1923-2014

Reference: OHInt-0827-11

Description: Interview with Hazel Rowe (nee Davis), born Christchurch, 23 July 1923. Talks about her father Leonard William Davis, a station master with New Zealand Railways, and her mother Bertha Cecilia (Bessie, nee Bull). Refers to her father, a World War I veteran, being an Air Force reservist in World War II and spending time in the Solomon Islands. Talks about her brother being in the merchant navy during the War, and her future husband in the Air Force. Recalls attending WWSA (Women's War Service Auxiliary) meetings, learning drill and signalling. Discusses enlisting in the Army in 1942 and basic training at a camp at Addington racecourse where she was promoted to drill sergeant after three weeks. Talks about conditions in the camp, food, accommodation and discipline. Outlines beginning officer training at Trentham Army Camp but then being sent to the Melrose school of artillery for training as a range-finder for anti-aircraft gunnery. Refers to being posted to the Mt Pleasant anti-aircraft battery (port hills above Lyttelton) in February 1943. Mentions living conditions at Mt Pleasant, the behaviour of male sergeants towards the women, lectures from the Army Education Welfare Service, and a wooden fence between the men's and women's huts. Refers to the arrival of radar at the battery. Describes being transferred to Burnham Camp to work in WAAC (Women's Army Auxiliary Corps) headquarters. Recalls officers including Mavis Davidson and Vida Jowett, the camp swimming pool, entertainment, and a snow storm in 1945. Discusses the uniform, inspections, mail censorship, and men with venereal disease having to wear yellow patches. Recalls the arrival in Burnham of British ex-prisoners of war who had been in Changi prison camp. Mentions being discharged from the Army in December 1945 and marrying Edward (Ted) Rowe in January 1946. Interviewer(s) - Megan Hutching Accompanying material - printout from Women's Royal Army Corps website (4 p.) including two webpages about Sergeant Davis Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-015246, OHC-015247 Quantity: 1 printed abstract(s). 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 interview(s). 2.07 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5528 Abstract Available - transcript(s) available. photocopy of photograph of Sergeant Hazel Davis in uniform Search dates: 1923 - 1939 - 2006 - 1945

Date: [ca 1940-1945]

From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency

By: Green & Hahn (Firm)

Reference: PAColl-4161-01-142

Description: Series of official publicity photographs. Some contain captions. Women's National Service Corps truck driver, Auckland; working in an army library; anti-aircraft training; returned men and women on furlough from 2nd NZEF on parade to a luncheon in their honour at Wellington; All Nations Day parade, Wellington (photo of US Armed Forces); NZ Women's Auxillary Service participating in parade. WAAC writing a letter inside her hut; two WAAF plotters at NZ Headquarters, 1943; series of photographs showing the WAAC Camp Fire Brigade practicising at WAAC Camp, Miramar Includes negative envelopes for negatives at 1/2-176306 to 1/2-176352 Includes two photographs taken by Green & Hahn, photographers, 152 Armagh St, Christchurch Quantity: 41 b&w original photographic print(s).

Date: 1942

By: New Zealand. Army; Kay, Robin Langford, 1919-2017; New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch

Reference: MapColl-832.47hkc/[ca.1942]/Acc.9489

Description: Drawn on a base map, show military defence plan annotations for the Wellington Harbour (Port Nicholson), including the position of Bofors (single guns and darkness only bofors), heavy AA (anti-aircraft) guns, searchlights and light area; coast searchlights and light beam; motorised machine gun section, anti-tank guns, 18 pdr (powder) section, navy patrol ships, illuminated areas, and the United States Navy patrol area. Base map: North Island. Port Nicholson. From surveys by Captn J Stokes & Comr. G.H. Richards, RN, and the officers of HMS Surveying Ship 'Acheron', 1849....and the Wellington Harbour Board, 1903-4, with corrections to 1931.' (Wellington, Department of Lands & Survey, 1932).' Stamped on map: 'Most secret'. Map is encapsulated in mylar. Quantity: 1 map(s). Physical Description: Ink and coloured pencil on lithograph, linen backed, scale [ca. 1:25 250], 74.3 x 62.7 cm. Provenance: Donated by Mr Robin Kay, 31.7.1967 for the War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs.

Date: 1939-1945

From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency

Reference: PA1-q-291

Description: Photographs of military activities and war work in New Zealand during World War 2, 1939-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official use. Views show the manufacture of various military weapons, machinery and vehicles and the men and women involved in the work. They include munitions (manufacture of hand grenades); Bren gun carriers, airframes, building navy trawlers and mine sweepers in Auckland; airplane construction at Rongotai, at the De Havilland Aircraft Factory; making caterpillar tracks; making sten guns; and constructing army huts. People from various military and civilian groups are shown working as fitters, flight riggers, flight mechanics; aircraft maintenance; welders, camouflage nets (made by Girl Guides). Activities include army exercises (p 106-110); river crossing exercises; preparation for a dawn departure of a New Zealand Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron; army training (p 76-97); and the New Zealand Air Training Corps for elementary instruction for youths aged 16 to 18 1/2. RNZAF training includes blind flying practice, Hawker Hind training planes, aircraft maintenance, flight mechanics, and Airspeed Oxford training planes. Other activities include the planting and growing of linen flax, used in the manufacture of planes, tires, gun covers and fighting equipment; agricultural and horticural work, including using bullock teams for breaking in new ground; army manouvres (in part in Franklin area, and in winter conditions in the South Island near the Southern Alps); territorial manoeuvres; coastal defence; Home Guard training; a remedial physical education training camp for recruits suffering from foot troubles, painful backs etc.; the making of a new raft designed in NZ which could be constructed in a few minutes and was easily transported; training despatch riders on motor bikes in the snow. Women, in different organisations including Women's National Service Corps, Women's Auxiliary Air Force and the Lady Galway Guild, were engaged in driving and maintaining military vehicles; driving for Red Cross vehicles; digging trenches; on parade; as signallers; in clerical work; hospital duties; cooking and other branches of essential war work. Pages 63-75 show the arrival in New Zealand of the American forces; and pages 111-121 portray a visit to New Zealand of Australian and Netherlands personnel from the hospital ship Oranje when the NZ Government, as a mark of appreciation for their efforts in bringing Australian and New Zealand wounded troops, placed a special train at their disposal and took them to Chateau Tongariro for rest and relaxation. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album with dark blue cloth cover, black corners and spine; 34.5 x 22.0 cm