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OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE 6 BATTALION (HAURAKI) REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION

POBOX 2'217JAURANGA NEWSLETTER NO-11

EDITORS HUGH HARRISON LYNN ARCHER TREVOR ARCHER PHONE (07)5764476 (07)5766186 (025 ) 928794

THERE IS NOW SIX WEEKS TO GO TO THE CELEBRATION OF OUR 100 YEAR CENTENNIAL.

R E G I S T R A T I O N O F

T H E H A U R A K I R E U N I O N FRIDAY JULY 10 1998 AT THE TAURANGA ARMY HALL REGISTRATION 1630-1900 Followed by Formal Welcome

AND OF COURSE

" T H E C E N T E N N I A L B A L L " SATURDAY JULY 11 1998

AT THE TAURANGA RACECOURSE

COMMENCING 1900

HAS NOW STARTED PLEASE REGISTER EARLY

"A smart salute and about turn, not 'Roll on, Civvy Street.'

May 1998

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

With the final official celebrations of the Hauraki's centennial upon us your Committee has been working along side the 6 Battalion (Hauraki) in organising the weekend for your entertainment. Financial restraints within both the Association and the Battalion has sometimes required some 'back room maneuvering" to keep the weekend on track. As always with the Army, flexibility is the name of the game.

I had the privilege of being invited to be the guest speaker at the Dawn Parade at the Tauranga RSA on ANZAC Day. The theme of the speech being the Hauraki Regiment and it's service to both the Nation and the Community over the last 100 years. It was heartening to see the large crowds mainly in the younger group. Ted Dean also gave similar reports from the Mt. Maunganui RSA where he guest speaker. With the Battalion having representation at many RSA's on ANZAC Day and being supplemented by Association members, the Hauraki's had a good coverage throughout the Region.

The 6 Battalion (Hauraki) has confirmed the Charter Parade at Tauranga being 1100 hours Saturday 11th July 98 and have invited the Hauraki Association to participate in some form or other. Bring your Hauraki Beret's and be prepared to become involved in the parade. Depending on many factors, including numbers attending. It will be announced on Friday 10 July 98 as to our role in the event.

In fact, numbers for any event is a critical factor in planning. I know it's a Hauraki Tradition to" turn up at the last moment" but it would assist, i f on this occasion, you would indicate your attendance at the weekend celebrations as early as possible. Your Committee have planned a weekend for your enjoyment and remember, there is a long time between centennial balls, you just might not be available to attend the next one.

Des Anderson - President

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LAST POST

A large number of friends and family attended the Funeral of Major Selwyn Ashley Cooper E.D. which was held at the St. Lukes Anglican Church at Rotorua Friday April 3rd 1998.

Selwyn, a Foundation Member, was the oldest member of the 6th Hauraki Association, and last year was given a special A4 size Membership Card with the number V.I.P. 1.

Ray Smith, a former CO. and Hon. Colonel spoke at the Service.

Selwyn was 94 years of age when he passed away.

Rep's from the 6 Hauraki Association were in attendance.

A large assembly of friends and relations were at Paeroa recently to say farewell and show their respects to Sgt Frederick Baker who passed away March 27 1998 at the age of 75 years.

Requiem Mass was celebrated at St Mary's Paeroa Tuesday 31st March 1998.

A graveside ceremony, including an RSA detachment with a Representative from the National Council, and Redeye from the 6 Hauraki Association .

Fred, was a Foundation Member and recently resigned, due to his ill health, from his position of Area Rep for the Paeroa District.

SICK LIST

David Blanchard has recently returned home from the Waikato Hospital, after a major operation and will be recuperating for several months.

FROM T H E A R C H I V E S TAKEN FROM 6 HAU'S FIRST

N/L 1976

HOW TO CAPTURE A P.W.

Ssgt Bones Murray, with a Company CSM. Sgt. Bernie Brown, and Mr Dean with his Recce PI warriors, were roaring up the track pursuing what they thought was an enemy party of four; when out of the scrub appeared reinforcements, and the four turned to more. But not to be denied their prisoner, Ssgt Bones men joined battle.

For awhile, things were obscured, as bodies fell into the scrub, and dust arose hiding the struggling combatants. Then a burst of automatic fire was heard in the dust, and a certain Ssgt was seen to emerge and dive into the bushes.

When things looked like developing into a good old donny brook, a certain Major bared his shoulders, calmed things down a bit, then once again became incognito.

The main thing was that A Company captured their prisoner.

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1

S E C R E T A R Y F L I E S AGAIN

On Saturday April 18 I went to Auckland for a Reunion at the Hobsonville Air Force Base. The plan was to stop off at the Confederate Air Force to pick up another Trev, who was also attending the Reunion.

For a short time my Brother in law and myself wandered around looking at the various aircraft in and around the hangers. One that really stood out, was a magnificent World War 11 aircraft parked on the tarmac. It was a beautifully restored Classic Beech 18.

This aircraft, unknown to myself at the time, was to be my taxi to the Hobsonville Aerodrome. I know it may be hard to believe by some of my Committee, but when I found out I almost became speechless.

The plan was that this aircraft plus a beautifully restored Harvard were to do a fly past at Hobby over the Airman who were all paraded below. A dream come true. A Hauraki Platoon Sgt was making another first. Boy did I feel important. I always reckoned "why march," when you can fly.

In all seriousness, the C.A.F. is run by very dedicated and good fellows who take their flying and maintenance very seriously. The C.A.F. always fly the airplane as a 2 pilot operation, and so it is with the pilot readback to confirm the checks have been understood and completed.

Finally, if you are in Auckland and cross the bridge, you will find the C.A.F at the North Shore Airfield Dairy Flat. You will be made very welcome, and if you are an aircraft nut like me you will find it hard to leave.

Remember the old saying that kids hate? "Years ago when I was a boy," well way back in the 1950's I had in fact joined the Air Force. Hence my interest.

I wish to finish with a special note of thanks to the men of the C.A.F who made my day. It was appreciated -many thanks. I enjoyed being a Temp Colonel even if it was just pretend.

By the way the Reunion was a bit of all right to.

Trev

THE SAND C A S T L E

I spent a short period in Maadi Base Camp Egypt before going to Italy. One day, because of my carpentry background, I was told with my Kiwi mate to build a large concrete garbage and swill stand outside the main cook house and mess rooms area.

The stand had to be the height of a truck tray and with enough room on top for several 44 gallon drums and working space. There had to be steps up and down for the men to put their meal scraps into the drums and, for the Cooks to carry their garbage up easily.

Boxing timber was there and also the cement from a large cement works just north of the camp. Water was close by and a large concrete paving area provided a good mixing place. We were given a truck and a gang of four "Wogs" including a 14 year old boy. They arrived all gabbling away in Arabic. As we had learned a bit of their language in the year we had been in

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Egypt I tried to communicate with them that way. After several hours, when when we were constructing the boxing and I was having a hard time explaining what was required, the 14 year old suddenly asked me in perfect English why I didn't speak B— English. They had been having us on and we fell for it. We had a good laugh about their joke and things went much better from then on.

The boxing was finished and we needed sand. I took the gang to a nice bank of sand some distance from the Parade Ground area, but still in site of H.Q. and started digging. Almost immed­iately, a motor bike rider appeared and shouted to us to stop and get the sand from the proper place. He had no idea where that was, so I went to the Camp Office and there was the sand pit clearly marked at the edge of the open desert about half a mile away. Off we went in the truck down a track that eventually disappeared into the sandy waste. We carried straight on to a post with a board nailed to it and labeled Sand Pit. It seemed ridiculous the whole place was sand!! We were to make the journey several times in the following days.

Back on the job the mixing started. I measured out the 5 to 1 quantity of sand on the concrete pad and emptied a bag of cement on top. I showed them how we mixed it in NZ with our shovels ,but they said we were wrong and they would do it there own way. "OK", go ahead was my reply. They tied a length of rope to the neck of a large shovel just above the blade. Two men steered the shovel by the handle and the others pulled it like a plough criss cross through the heap, while they chanted endlessly strange Arabic songs as they tramped bare footed over the

heap. Finally when properly mixed the water was added and the wet concrete was poured from buckets into the boxing until the very thick walls were filled and the top leveled off.

After several days when the concrete was properly set, the boxing was removed to reveal a near perfect job. We carved the date into one side and then moved on to Italy.

Many years later, after the war a wandering "Kiwi Soldier" went back to Maadi Camp and wrote an article about his visit.

I remember he wrote that the place was deserted and most of the had been removed. However, published with the article, was a photo he had taken of the old cook house and mess rooms site. It was just empty flat ground except, for proudly visible above the drifting desert sand was a good looking concrete garbage and swill stand.

H.Harrison ************************

"You mean to tell me you're afraid of a little excruciating pain?"

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HAURAKI SCRAPBOOK

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PRESIDENT: ' ; .• C .S .M. W A L K E R , T . - B . VICE-PRESIDENT: : . ." . . C .S .M. DONOVAN, * . J . SECRETARY: S E G T . C O L L I N S , L . B . COMMITTEE: . \ C.Q.M.S. H U N T , A . ; S E G T . G E R R A T Y , R . R .

. ZIFE' MEMBER: R . S . M . N E U R E U T E R , J .

R.Q.M.S. A N D R E W S , R C.S.M. MONCUR, P . E . , C.S .M. S C H I C K j G . C.S .M. R O S S , t). S.

C.Q.M.S. MTLANO,' L . C.Q.M.S. R I G H T O N , ' H . C.Q.M.S.. R O B I N S O N , K . C.Q.M.S. R O W E , F . T . S T A F P - S E G T . O ' R E I L L Y , S E G T . B E I L B Y , R . L . S E G T . B U R G E S S , W. N. S E G T . B U R N E Y , G . T . S E G T . C A R E Y , W. S E G T . D A N S E Y , G . I . B . S E G T . DONALDSON, O. . S E G T . DONOVAN, D. B . S E G T . G A W L E R , W. S E G T . H I N E , A. S E G T . HOBSON, G." M. S E G T . JOHNSTON," A. R . S S G T . L E N N A N , M. M. S E G T . L U N N , L . . S E G T . M A C K R E L L , R . C .

Id EMBERS: W* S E G T .

S E G T .

S E G T .

S E G T .

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S E G T .

S E G T .

S E G T .

S E G T .

S E G T .

. S E G T :

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S E G T .

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S S G T .

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M A R S H A L L , J . E . MARTIN, R. C . MORTON, R . M. • MUIR, G . A. McGLASHAN, D . , NANKTVELL, L . J .

N E A T E . ' . W - J - -

O A K L E Y , ' C . H . - S. . P A T T E R S O N , A. L . PATON, A . P O R A T H , B . J .

R E L P H ; A .

• S H A L F C O N .

S O T H A M , R . J .

S T E V E N S , N . B .

S T O N E , P. A . TOMS, S. S. J . T O P H A M ; B .

T R E M A I N , I A . C . V E A L E , O. A . * W A L K E R , L . W. 0 W E B B , J . M. W I L D I N G , . J .

ATTACHED: C.S.M. J O H N S T O N , R . ' W . R. , A.S.C. S E G T . MASON, P. , A . S . C . S E G T . W I L S O N , E . f . N Z.A.O.C.

T.A. News—13523

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1st BATTALION

THE HAURAKI REGIMENT

moke K^/oticerl

Sergeants Mess

PARISH HALL '. " . , .26th November 1540

Upper — Smoke Concert Sergeants Mess 1940 Sent in by CSM P.E.Moncur.

Lower.— Hauraki Junior NCO's, time and date uncertain. Possibly late 40's. Photo sent in by Bob Sparks