No1 RD RNZAF Hamilton

[SEAN]

Dave

Thought you might like these for you "Bases page" on your main site. These are of the "Engine Repair Shop" No1 RD in Hamilton. I assume it is the Bledisloe Hall, but am not sure. Pretty sure these are RNZAF Official photo's.

Here is the main picture (if you look closely you can see a mural on the wall down the end)


Here is a close up of the mural


And here is less quality scan of the other end of the hall (I think)

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Sean. Yes these are RNZAF Museum official photos, I have copies from them already but have not used them yet. And yes it is indeed Bledisloe Hall, which pre-war served as Hamilton's psuedo town hall and WInter Show buildings. It stood where the Downtown Plaza now stands, but rather than being demolished the building was actually shifted in the 1960's or so to Mystery Creek where it still stands today housing the National Agricultural Musuem (which is never open).

I have talked with many Cambridge airmen and WAAFs who worked in that building. It was originally No. 1 Stores Depot, between its time at Hobsonville and later shifting to Te Rapa. The building was taken over by the RNZAF in 1942 because it was the largest pre-war free standing building in NZ apparently. When it became the engine overhaul line, engines from RNZAF and US aircraft were overhaulled there from across NZ and the Pacific. It was a hub of activity, as can be seen. The NCO i/c of this workshop was the late Eric Ford, whom I have interviewed, and also working on the line were other Cambridge men including Bob Peake, Ray Hurst, Roy Paton and a few others from round here.

Many other buildings in the centre of the town of Hamilton became RNZAF workshops and storehouses, and No. 1 RD covered all them plus Rukuhia up til late 1945.

[beagle]

when i firs saw the shape I thought it was an old airship hangar but a bit small

[camtech]

The building was also the Public Library for Hamilton for a time. I can remember standing on the mezzanine floor and wondering how it all worked as a Repair Depot.