AUDIO
New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
- Date
- Jun 2003-Aug 2004 - 01 Jun 2003 - 31 Aug 2004
- By
- Atkinson, Neill, 1967-
- Reference
- OHColl-0771
- Description
Interviews with 14 men who served in the civilian Merchant Navy during the Second World War, sailing on New Zealand, British, American and Norwegian ships. Most are New Zealand-born but two British seaman who came to New Zealand at the end of the war are also included. Those interviewed held various jobs and ranks: as officer, able and ordinary seaman, bosun or deck boy, marine engineer, fireman or coal-trimmer, steward, pantryman or baker. Several of the interviewees suffered the loss of their ships through attacks by submarines, bombers or warships, and two were taken prisoner by the Japanese. Interviewees are Lou Barron, Dan Bashall, Jim Blundell, Dewi Browne, John Gregson, Bill Hall, Lionel Hodgson, Darcy Hoffman, Thor Larsen, John Montgomery, Pat O'Shea, Cliff Turner, Les Watson and Allan Wyllie
Publication - 'Hell or high water: New Zealand Merchant seafarers remember the war', Neil Atkinson (ed). Auckland: HarperCollins in association with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2005
Interviewer(s) - Neill Atkinson
Relationship complexity - See also OHInt-0321-06 Interview with Steve Carey, an interview recorded in 1994 for the Merchant Navy Story oral history - edited transcript used in the book 'Hell or high water' by Neill Atkinson
Accompanying material - Photocopied material and other documentation relating to some interviewees in transcripts
Quantity: 22 C60 cassette(s). 14 transcript(s). 14 interview(s).
Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available edited transcripts.
Provenance: Donor/Lender/Vendor - Donated by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Wellington, 2005
Copies of photographs of interviewees taken at the time of their Merchant Navy service included in transcripts
- Use/Reproduction
- Public use requires the written permission of the copyright holder Copyright: Copyright held by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Access restrictions
- Restricted - Content cannot be accessed without permission - Access to the collection requires written permission of the donor
- Format
- 22 C60 cassette(s), 14 transcript(s), 14 interview(s), Oral histories, Illustration: Copies of photographs of interviewees taken at the time of their Merchant Navy service included in transcripts
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Copyright
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Interview with John Gregson, printed transcript
Date: 17 Mar 2004
From: New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
Reference: OHA-5404
Description: Quantity: 1 transcript(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-5404. Photograph of John Gregson with parents at Buckingham Palace, 1943 (laser copy); portraits of young and older Gregson, and his medals in O'Shea, Phillip, An unknown few, 1981 (photocopy)
Interview with Thor Larsen, printed transcript
Date: 22 Apr 2004
From: New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
Reference: OHA-5408
Description: Quantity: 1 transcript(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-5408. Portrait of Thor Larsen in Sydney, 1940s (laser copy); Larsen (left) and friend in Melbourne, 1944 (laser copy); Larsen's Norwegian Seamen's union book (laser copy)
Interview with Pat O'Shea, printed transcript
Date: 24 Aug 2004
From: New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
Reference: OHA-5410
Description: Quantity: 1 transcript(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-5410. Portrait of Patrick O'Shea as a young man (laser copy); photograph of O'Shea drinking with friends, Cape Town, 1941 (laser copy); photograph of Awatea with article from Underway, Union Steamship Co periodical c1980s (photocopy); photographs of Awatea and article from Sunday Times, Nov 15, 1992 (photocopy); photocopied newspaper articles with photographs on Awatea (no references)
Interview with John Montgomery, printed transcript
Date: 31 Oct 2003
From: New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
Reference: OHA-5409
Description: Quantity: 1 transcript(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-5409. Portrait of John Montgomery 1940s? (laser copy); Montgomery's US seaman's identity card with photographic portrait and thumb print (laser copy)
Interview with Dewi Browne, printed transcript
Date: 25 Jun 2003
From: New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
Reference: OHA-5403
Description: Quantity: 1 transcript(s) Partial transcript. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available partial transcripts. Portrait of Dewi Browne, 22 August 1944 (laser copy)
Interview with Allan Wyllie, printed transcript
Date: 31 Oct 2003
From: New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
Reference: OHA-5413
Description: Quantity: 1 transcript(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-5413. Portrait of Allan Wyllie in bellboy uniform on Awatea, 1938 (laser copy); portait of Wyllie looking through a Limerick life saver (laser copy); Wyllie, Len Malmo and another survivor from the Limerick, Brisbane, 1943 (laser copy)
Interview with Cliff Turner, printed transcript
Date: 11 Dec 2003
From: New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
Reference: OHA-5411
Description: Quantity: 1 transcript(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-5411. Photograph of Cliff Turner on wharf in front of troop ship (laser copy); photograph of hospital ship Llandovery Castle on D-Day, June 1944 (laser copy); photograph of Turner at front of Piccadilly Circus parade, VE Day, London, 1945; Liberation of Normandy Diplome, 1999 (laser copy)
Interview with Les Watson, printed transcript
Date: 2 Dec 2003
From: New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
Reference: OHA-5412
Description: Quantity: 1 transcript(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-5412. Portrait of Les Watson, deck steward, on Ceramic (II), 1948 (laser copy); group portrait stewards on Ceramic (II), 1948 including Watson (laser copy); portrait of Watson in article on wartime Chatham Islands incident, printed from Otago Daily Times, 12 Feb 2003; group portrait of Watson brothers and article from Otago Daily Times, 22 Nov 2003 (photocopy)
Interview with Dan Bashall, printed transcript
Date: 6 Nov 2003
From: New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
Reference: OHA-5401
Description: Quantity: 1 transcript(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-5401. Passage ticket on Rangitata, London to New Zealand, 1946 (laser copy); black and white enlarged portait of Bashall c1943 (laser copy)
Interview with Jim Blundell, printed transcript
Date: 24 Apr 2004
From: New Zealand merchant seafarers in the Second World War oral history project
Reference: OHA-5402
Description: Quantity: 1 transcript(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available edited transcript - OHA-5402. Accompanying transcript: Jim Blundell's US Merchant Seaman's Certificate of Identification (laser copy) and portrait of Blundell as young man (laser copy); British Seaman's Identity Card, Certificate of Discharge (laser copies); Statement of Merchant Navy Service (photocopy)