Tagua (Ship)

Date: 1941-1942

By: Redican, M H (Mr), active 1995

Reference: PA1-f-169

Description: Photographs of coastwatchers on Campbell Island 1941-1942,documenting personnel, the landscape, flora and fauna. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s).

Date: 1938-1973

From: Grainger, J :Negatives and photographs relating to Campbell Island

Reference: PA1-q-048

Description: Photographs of ships and personnel on Campbell Island relating to Cape Expedition (code name of the War Cabinet venture to establish coast watching stations on Sub-Antarctic islands for security reasons during World War II), and relating to the establishment of meteorological research stations on Campbell Island. Album created by Ian Stratford Stewart in preparation for his book "Campbell Island, a history" published by A.H. & A.W. Reed in 1976. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album in black vinyl ring-binder, with images attached to pages with self-adhesive strips, 31 x 27 cm

Date: 1940

By: Simpson, George Clifford, 1917-2007

Reference: PA1-o-1929

Description: Photograph album of images relating to George (known as Cliff) Simpson's work as a labourer on Raoul Island during Jan-Dec 1940. Photographer(s) unidentified but many probably taken by Simpson. Album compiled in 2015 by Simpson's daughter Judith Perrie who wrote captions (often transcriptions of Simpson's original captions on the rear of the prints) and comments from his diary. Images show a range of images including Simpson and other unidentified men labouring, the work camp they were staying at, and some during times of recreation. Photographs include the construction and use of a flying fox at Fishing Rock, unloading supplies from a ship onto the beach (including a bulldozer), road construction (Boat Cove Road), smoko (drinking from enamel mugs, resting on beach), tents and other camp buildings (ablution block, sheds, a tent and base being moved on truck, a house), fishing, shipboard scenes from on board the 'Tagua', oranges collected in pillowslips, a musical group "'Razz Harris" with piano accordion and guitar, a black dog, a man playing a trumpet, a man called "Snowy", and men with rifles [hunting?]. Photographs also show coastal scenes, island flora, ships seen from coast, and prominent geographical features. Album also includes one newspaper clipping relating to the medical evacuation of John "Jack" Charles Stephenson off the island on the ship 'Matua'. Source of title - Title supplied by Library Quantity: 1 album(s) containing 147 silver gelatin photoprints and 1 newspaper clipping. Physical Description: Spiral bound album with black plastic cover and koru illustration, 22.7 x 31.8 cm Provenance: Donor is the daughter of Cliff Simpson. Transfers: From Manuscripts & Archives - MS-Group-2404: Simpson, George Clifford, 1917-2007: Papers relating to Raoul Island.

Date: 1940 (2015)

By: Simpson, George Clifford, 1917-2007

Reference: MS-Group-2404

Description: Pocket diary kept by George Clifford Simpson during his year working as a labourer for the Public Works Department on Raoul Island in the Kermadec Islands, Jan-Dec 1940. Contains short daily entries relating to most aspects of life working and living on the island. - Simpson describes road construction (clearing land of pohutukawa and other vegetation, filling holes with pumice, erosion, equipment) and building the meteorological station and radio station, as well as a flying fox to Fisherman's Rock and a tennis court. Topics covered include daily progress on construction projects, obstacles to work (weather conditions, large stumps, and rocks "goolies"), and those he works with. Also describes days off and recreational activities including fishing trips, hikes, letter writing, swimming, playing music (singing, guitar), drinking, gambling, hunting (including goats, cats, turtles), harvesting fruit (oranges and plums), and a rat infestation. Also describes getting sick after being stung by a bee, earthquakes, food, and a fellow worker, Jack Stephenson, falling ill and dying soon after being evacuated from the island. - Diary also contains Simpson's description of his passage to the Kermadec Islands on the ship 'Tagua'. Mentions the passing of a British warship and an American transporter, ocean conditions, and the delays and arrivals of boats with supplies and mail including 'Tagua', 'Matua', 'Monowai', and 'New Golden Hind' as well as the unloading of those supplies. Source of title - Supplied by Library Quantity: 1 volume(s). 1 Electronic document(s). 0.02 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Mss, electronic files Provenance: Donor is the daughter of Cliff Simpson Transfers: Collection as a whole taken into Manuscripts, transfers made from here. - To Photographic Archive - Raoul Island photograph album PA1-o-1929.

Date: 1941

From: Duthie, Alastair Simpson, 1912-1995 :Photographs of Lincoln Ellsworth Antarctic Expedition, coast watching in Sub-Antarctic Islands, service in Pacific, 1939-1945

Reference: PAColl-8102-2

Description: Photographs taken over two winters when Alister Duthie was employed on the Homer Tunnel between 1937 and 1939. Photographs taken while Alister Duthie was a member of the "Cape Expedition" which established coastwatching functions in New Zealand's subantarctic islands during the Second world War. While employed at the Homer Tunnel Alister Duthie's main job was to patrol the power lines and report any breakages or other damage. According to Alister Duthie The first trip of the "Cape Expedition" in 1941 was in the "Ranui". The time was spent on board coastwatching, going ashore mainly to hunt fresh meat. Dr Robert Falla, then Director of the Canterbury Museum, was also on this trip, specifically because of his knowledge of the subantarctic islands. The second trip which Duthie made was on the "Tagua" to Campbell Island where they spent their time doing meteriological work. At the end of this term of duty he returned to New Zealand on the "New Golden Hind." The "Ranui," "Tagua," and "New Golden Hind," were three small ships used by the New Zealand Goverment to service its coastwatching committments, not only on its subantarctic islands, but throughout the Pacific. The "Cape Expedition" itself was operational from 1941 to 1945. Quantity: 132 b&w original photographic print(s).

Date: 1945-1946

By: New Zealand. Public Works Department. Aerodromes Branch

Reference: MS-Papers-5555

Description: Comprises report of survey in World War II by Aerodromes Services Branch of Public Works Department to the Auckland and Campbell islands between 1941 and 1945. The report gives the background to the expedition, describes radio communication, survey work, harbours, Campbell Is meteorological station, and flights to Auckland and Campbell islands. A history of the islands is given, a description of the geology, vegetation and wild life, meteorological tables, coastwatching instructions and personnel. Also included are photographs taken by members of the expedition and from the Turnbull Library collections. The expedition was basically a coastwatching exercise; `the men had to be volunteers, discreet, loyal, with nerves good enough to stand an encounter with a hostile landing party armed with machine guns or the prospect of being marooned on an uninhabited island...' Source of title - Transcribed Quantity: 1 folder(s). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Typescript and photographs (photocopy) Photographs and maps in the text are not very clear as they are photocopies of an earlier photocopying process

Date: 15 Jun 1991

From: Cape Expedition Oral History Project

By: Lopdell, Roland Hall, active 1941-1991

Reference: OHInt-0328-10

Description: Rowland Lopdell talks about his experiences as a member of the Cape Expedition to the Auckland Islands in World War II: secrecy of the expedition, selection, preparation and voyage to Auckland Island on the Tagua, arrival and first impressions of the Island. Describes companions, leadership, weather, daily life and routines, lookout duty, emergency plans, homesickness, leisure activities including poker, chess and photography. Talks about cooking arrangements, mid-winter dinner, rum ration, baking bread, eating penguin eggs and muttonbirds and other animals eaten. Recalls visiting historic sites, castaway graves, wreck of the Derry Castle and collecting driftwood and teak from shipwrecks. Describes fiords, trip to Carnley Habour, plants and animals on Adams Island, shooting rabbits on Enderby Island and shooting cats on Auckland Island. Talks about marine mammals and birds and recalls regularly weighing and measuring an albatross chick on Ocean Island. Mentions Charles Fleming. Describes voyage home on the Ranui, seeing wife again, seeing Aquitania in Wellington Harbour and large numbers of American soldiers in Wellington. Talks about life after the expedition, working on Catalinas in the airforce, and describes feelings about the personal influence of the expedition. Interviewer(s) - Fergus Sutherland Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-010028 - OHC-010029 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3344.

Date: 1 Jul 1991 - 01 Jul 1991

From: Cape Expedition Oral History Project

By: Mitchell, Edward William, 1911-1994

Reference: OHInt-0328-11

Description: Ted Mitchell born 1911. Recalls early work in sawmilling. Talks about experiences as a member of the Cape Expedition to Campbell Island: reasons for selection, preparations, the voyage down to the island, arrival and building camps. Describes companions - leader Leo Stannaway, Ray Wilson, and radio operator Norm Trustram. Talks about living quarters, keeping watch, whales, tuna, food, celebrations, sheep shooting and eating wildlife. Recalls historic sites on the island including farming and whaling sites. Discusses morale, news of the war and communications with home. Talks about leaving the island on the Tagua. Describes experiences after the Cape Expedition - sailing on the Golden Hind taking supplies to coastwatchers at many different islands, including the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. Talks in detail about second expedition to Campbell Island and the Auckland Islands, as engineer on the Ranui. Describes duties as engineer, manouvering the ship, emergencies and engine trouble. Interviewer(s) - Fergus Sutherland Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-010030 - OHC-010032 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2.20 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3345.

Date: 2 Jul 1991 - 02 Jul 1991

From: Cape Expedition Oral History Project

By: Douglas, John Francis, 1915-2006

Reference: OHInt-0328-07

Description: John Douglas born 1915 in Whangaparapara. Talks about joining the Post Office in 1928, early career, sitting postal and morse examinations. Describes time spent on Auckland Island in 1942 as part of the Cape Expedition: secrecy involved in selection for the expedition, preparation, training, loading ships - Tagua and Ranui. Describes in detail the journey to Auckland Island. Talks about companions, leadership style, lookout and radio duty, weather, rata trees, historic sites, entertainment and celebrations, making Christmas cards, dealing with emergencies, sending and receiving communications. Describes marine mammals, birds and an expedition looking for notornis and snipe. Recalls voyage to Campbell Island, seeing Southern Lights and penguins in Perseverance Harbour. Discusses journey home to New Zealand, work after the expedition and feelings about involvement in the Cape Expedition Interviewer(s) - Fergus Sutherland Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-010019 - OHC-010020 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3341.

Date: 26 Jun 1991

From: Cape Expedition Oral History Project

By: Crookenden, Allan Davenport, 1912-1992

Reference: OHInt-0328-06

Description: Allan Crookenden, born 1913 in Hastwell, near Eketahuna. Describes early working life in the surveying profession. Talks about experiences as leader of the Cape Expedition camp at Auckland Island in 1942: selection for the expedition, voyage on the Tagua, leadership, camp routines, coastwatching, albatross and other wildlife, communications with home, war news, weather, blowflies, historic sites, cooking, celebrations, mid-winter dinners, gardening and spare time activities. Recalls expeditions to Adams Island and Victoria Passage. Talks about Bart Challis, Charles Fleming, George Anderson, Roly Lopdell, Hugo Hannafy, Tiny Wright. Recalls how all of the men grew beards whilst on the island. Describes relief duties at Campbell Island and compares the camp and companions with those on Auckland Island. Mentions setting up work in ionosphere on Campbell Island. Talks about journey home to wife and son and returning to work at the Housing Department. Describes feelings about involvement in Cape Expedition. Interviewer(s) - Fergus Sutherland A copy of "Guarding the back door "1942/43 Coast watchers on the Auckland Islands by Alan Crookenden at OHA-3340 Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-010017 - OHC-010018 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1.40 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3340.

Date: 3 Jul 1991 - 03 Jul 1991

From: Cape Expedition Oral History Project

By: Duthie, Alastair Simpson, 1912-1995

Reference: OHInt-0328-08

Description: Alastair Duthie born 1912 in Dunedin. Talks about early life in Dunedin and early experiences on boats and in the outdoors. Describes experiences as a member of the Cape Expedition in World War II: selection and preparation for the expedition, voyages to the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island, navigating and handling the boat, daily routines and duties. Discusses ships the Tagua, the Ranui and the Golden Hind and talks about Captain Webling, Jack Ohlson, engineer Tommy Pook, Doug Knowles, Wally Ineson, Jack Trigger, Jack Sorenson, Bill Dawbin, George Jones. Mentions Robert Falla and Charles Fleming. Recalls expedition to Enderby Island: 'butcher's picnic' shooting cattle, using survival techniques when abandoned for three days, finding the figurehead and other relics from the 'Derry Castle'. Talks about weather, storms and the effects of weather on morale. Describes confinement on boat, cooking, rum ration, leisure time, making a still on Campbell Island and brewing beer. Talks about Carnley Hut, Grafton wreck, cutting of rata for the Erlagen, waterfall lookout hut, Dent Island, Fairchild's Garden on Adams Island. Describes marine mammals and birds, including muttonbirds and albatross. Recalls returning home to Dunedin, working as meteorologist in the airforce and life after the expedition. Interviewer(s) - Fergus Sutherland Relationship complexity - Alastair Duthie's papers relating to the Cape Expedition are held in the Manuscripts and Archives collection at MS-Papers-8117. Alastair Duthie's photographs relating to the Cape Expedition are held in the Photographic Archive collection at PAColl-8102-2 Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-010021 - OHC-010023 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3342.

Date: 2021

By: Suckling, David Maxwell, active 1970-2022

Reference: MSDL-5412

Description: Copy of a digital publication created and edited by David 'Max' Suckling circa 2021 which is based on a World War Two diary titled 'The Auckland Island Guerrillas, A wartime diary' written by his father Peter Suckling in 1941. The publication focuses Peter Suckling's experiences during the establishment of coastwatcher stations on the Auckland Islands between March to July 1941. The publication contains: a forward, a biography of Peter Suckling, and historical information written by Max Suckling; notes on radio technology supplied by Murray Greenman; and transcriptions of the diary content being: introductory notes, dated entries, vignettes of fellow coastwatchers Ray Wilson and Ted Mitchell, and a letter to "Mr Clarkson of the P&T". Illustrations in the digital publication comprise: colour photographs of flora and fauna and the Enderby Island settlement on the Auckland Islands taken by Professor James Russell circa 2015; colour photographs of Campbell Island supplied by Tim Weston, Department of Conservation; a black and white photograph on a book page depicting Peter Suckling with others at Long Island College of Medicine circa 1948; photograph of ketch 'Ranui' taken by NZ Herald'; a scan of a book reproduction of a black and white photograph of the Auckland Island coastwatchers in 1941; and digital photographs of sketches and entries in the original diary made in Peter Suckling's hand. Title supplied by Library. For other collection material relating to coastwatchers on Auckland and Campbell Islands, see library references at PA1-f-169; MS-Papers-2366-245; OHInt-0328-11; and PA1-q-048. Post and Telegraph radio engineer Eustace Edgar 'Peter' Suckling participated in the first New Zealand government coastwatcher mission to establish coastal listening stations in the Auckland and Campbell Islands. His role was to set up radio stations and aerials with a minimum of testing. Stations were established at first at Port Ross, and then Camley Harbour, on Auckland Island, and at Perserverance Harbour on Campbell Island. During this mission Suckling kept a diary in which he recorded the voyage there on board the MV 'Tagua', daily events, progress on his radio work, and observations on wildlife and island conditions. David Maxwell 'Max' Suckling is the son of Peter Suckling and has created the publication to provide insights into his father's work and the government services of the time, and information on subantarctic wildlife. Quantity: 1 Electronic document(s). Processing information: Not all names are indexed.

Date: 1934-1941

From: Duthie, Alastair Simpson, 1912-1995 :Photographs of Lincoln Ellsworth Antarctic Expedition, coast watching in Sub-Antarctic Islands, service in Pacific, 1939-1945

Reference: PAColl-8102-4

Description: Photographs which include the bow of the "Tagua", the "Wyatt Earp" in Otago harbour in 1934, remnants of the "Derry Castle" in the cemetery on Enderby Island photographed by the Burton Brother in 1888, Mount Cook photographed by Greta Stevenson, and a Panorama of snow capped mountains with the caption "Rees Valley." Quantity: 6 b&w original photographic print(s).