Interview with Bob Arkley

Bob Arkley born Newcastle-on-Tyne, England and came to New Zealand with family in 1925. Father worked with Shell Company New Zealand.

Talks about World War II experiences, joining Navy under Scheme B, and training at HMS Ganges at Shotley, UK and at HMS King Alfred, Lancing College, Hove, England, before joining HMS Electra, a destroyer and later ML Flotilla. Describes in detail circumstances leading to sinking of ML Flotilla and capture - picked out of water by Japanese fishermen and became adjutant of his Prisoner of War Camp in Palembang, Indonesia, where he spent the next three and half years. Describes Bill Burke, a New Zealander who was also in camp.

Describes career with Fletcher Challenge commencing in 1949 as branch accountant, progressing to Assistant Secretary of Fletcher Holdings and Secretary of the Fletcher Holdings Board of Management on retirement. In 1981 appointed Fletcher archivist and gives a detailed account of the origins of archives and what it holds.

Access Contact - see oral history librarian

Venue - Auckland

Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe

Venue - Fletcher Challenge House, Penrose, Auckland

Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1.30 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 0134. An online copy of the abstract is also available to read in the Library's Reading Rooms.

Alternative form available: Digital copies of the recording and abstract are also available in the Library's Reading Room

Copies held at Fletcher Challenge Ltd Archives