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Post by Dave Homewood on May 30, 2014 10:09:27 GMT 12
At long last, after more than four years working towards this, I am very pleased to announce that the website is now online that will host my new "Courage And Valour" audio podcast series!! Courage And Valour: New Zealanders in the Italian Campaign is an audio documentary series in which the story of the long, hard conflict to liberate Italy from the Nazis in 1943 to 1945 is told through the memories of veterans who were there. For four years I have been filming, recording and compiling interviews with veteran soldiers, airmen and so far just one sailor who served in the campaign. I have been editing them into audio documentaries which will form an episodic series that people can download and listen to for free. There is an amazing amount of history in these shows, much of which has never been told. And the series - which is planned to have around 20 episodes, with each lasting around an hour - delves far more deeply into the topic than anything you've ever seen or heard before. The first two episodes are now online and available. We're starting off with the Army's perspective, but as the series progresses we'll also focus on the New Zealand airmen and sailors who were in the conflict too. Episode One is all about the training and garrison duties that the soldiers did in NewZealand before they went overseas to join the 2nd New Zealand Division. Episode Two is about them arriving in Egypt for further training, then heading with the Div to Italy, and we hear the stories for their first battle on Italian soil, the push to cross the Sangro River. Please take a look around the site, which has pages of information to support the series and give listeners a guide to the campaign, such as a Timeline, and a Glossary section. I am hoping over time to add more and more information to the site, as more and more episodes get added. if you want to add anything to the information already there, or perhaps offer corrections, please feel free to get in touch with me. If you go to the Courage And Valour Episodes page you'll find those first two episodes of the series online, ready for you to listen to, and to download to keep. I hope you'll all take the time to have a listen, and please do share your thoughts and add feedback, ideas, criticism and suggestions, and also please pass on links to the site to others and spread the word. And here it is, the website: www.newzealandersatwar.com/ |
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Post by 11SQNLDR on May 30, 2014 11:15:39 GMT 12
By joves - you've been keeping busy Dave! I look forward to checking these out over the long weekend  |
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Post by ErrolC on May 30, 2014 12:40:00 GMT 12
Looks great!
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Post by Andy Wright on May 30, 2014 13:12:13 GMT 12
An exciting project, Dave.
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Post by general on May 31, 2014 12:38:28 GMT 12
Dave, you're a credit to journalism.
The 'real' story of servicemen is a rare find, especially of NZers.
Many thanks for all your diligence and work to produce the series.
Regards
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Post by noooby on May 31, 2014 13:13:46 GMT 12
Will be listening to this as my late Great Uncle was wounded at Cassino but never really talked about it to us kids. So I'm very interested to hear first hand accounts of what it was like over there.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 31, 2014 18:17:32 GMT 12
Thanks everyone. I'm keen as to hear feedback from those who listened to the two shows, as to what they think of them.
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Post by davidd on Jun 17, 2014 11:52:41 GMT 12
The only information I have ever read on numbers of RNZAF personnel (plus those NZers actually in RAF) serving in the Italian campaign is in Vol 3 of the official WW2 history of the RNZAF, title "New Zealanders with the RAF" (Middle East and South East Asia) by W/C H L Thompson.
On Page 165 we find following passage:
"In all these preparatory operations (for invasion of Sicily) New Zealanders played their part. As Royal Air Force formations were reinforced for the Sicilian venture, there had been a corresponding influx of men from the Dominion, so that by the beginning July 1943, over 530 were serving in Mediterranean Air Command. More than two-thirds were aircrew, many of them flying under their fellow countrymen, Coningham and Park; others faithfully performed the less spectacular but essential duties of servicing and repair which kept the aircraft in action. In addition, a small group held responsible staff appointments or did good work in such posts as engineering, equipment, signal and medical officers."
In case you suspect that many more RNZAF personnel might have been involved in Italy, I have included the official figures for men and women and their general distribution as at the beginning of July 1943. I imagine the number of 530 mentioned above would be steadily climbing by this date, but Bomber and Coastal Commands in the UK would still be absorbing the majority of aircrew arriving from NZ and Canada. The last of the RNZAF's technical personnel shipped off to the RAF under EATS departed NZ in about April 1942. These comprised mainly armourers, wireless operators, radar operators and tech personnel, plus a small number of instrument mechanics. We sent no airframe or aero engine mechanics at all under this scheme.
Attached to RAF: 5,051 (2,076 officers, 2,975 airmen). All commands, all theatres)
Attached to RCAF: 1,517 (77 officers, 1,440 airmen). Empire Air Training Scheme (also known as BCATP).
RNZAF in Pacific: 2,870 (219 officers, 2,627 airmen, 24 WAAFs. Note, airwomem all at Norfolk Island and Fiji, may include officers).
RNZAF in New Zealand: 29,276 (1,922 officers, 23,702 airmen, 3,652 WAAFs, latter also includes officers).
Totals: 38,714 (4,294 officers, 30,744 airmen, 3,676 WAAFs).
David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 17, 2014 12:07:57 GMT 12
Many thanks David. The actual invasion of Italy mainland was later in September 1943, and I guess lots of kiwis in squadrons moved to Sicily and Italy over time.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Jun 17, 2014 15:32:01 GMT 12
Thanks everyone. I'm keen as to hear feedback from those who listened to the two shows, as to what they think of them. I listened to both episodes (uploaded so far) and I really enjoyed them, Dave. However, one small point with regards to the website....my Dad died at Hastings (in the Hawke's Bay Regional Hospital), not Havelock North, although the funeral was held at HN. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 17, 2014 16:21:32 GMT 12
Thanks Bruce. I'll make an amendment to that asap. Sorry.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 17, 2014 18:43:51 GMT 12
Fixed now Bruce.
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Post by suthg on Jun 24, 2014 14:35:20 GMT 12
At long last, after more than four years working towards this, I am very pleased to announce that the website is now online that will host my new "Courage And Valour" audio podcast series!! If you go to the Courage And Valour Episodes page you'll find those first two episodes of the series online, ready for you to listen to, and to download to keep. I hope you'll all take the time to have a listen, and please do share your thoughts and add feedback, ideas, criticism and suggestions, and also please pass on links to the site to others and spread the word. And here it is, the website: www.newzealandersatwar.com/Dave has his photo in the Waikato Times today Page 5 with a ten paragraph write up about his efforts and how it all started. A comment too about broadcaster Jason McQuarter as narrator for further video documentaries. Website Link as shared above I could not find a link on Stuff for the article about Dave and his new website, perhaps if I registered with Waikato Times I could see the whole paper and copy paste links and material... Well done Dave!! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 24, 2014 15:58:47 GMT 12
Thanks Graeme. The Waikato Times article came as a total surprise to me, it has been syndicated from last week's Cambridge Edition newspaper where the article first appeared. Sadly the journalist Viv missed the 's' off of Jason's surname. Here's the original article:  |
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Post by baz62 on Jun 24, 2014 16:26:19 GMT 12
Well done Dave, hopefully this will get some more interviewees for you if veterans and their families read this.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 24, 2014 17:24:10 GMT 12
Cheers Baz. That is one plan. the other is to simply get more people listening, and hearing this amazing history.
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Post by camtech on Jun 24, 2014 17:25:34 GMT 12
Well done Dave - getting the message out is one major way of boosting awareness of the website.
My wife, a children's poetry author has had several articles about her in local papers recently, and we note a significant increase in hits on her web page and facebook. (www.rainbowpoetry.co.nz)
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 24, 2014 20:27:52 GMT 12
Thanks Les.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 25, 2014 18:46:01 GMT 12
The Courage And Valour Series officially launched today with the veterans at Te Awamutu RSA, during the Kings Empire Veterans Annual Mid-Winter Luncheon where I was a guest speaker. Among the 70+ people in attendance we had seven Italy campaign veterans. Here they are:  Back Row, Left To Right Colin Murray - 24 Battailon, Te Awamutu Harry Hopping - 24 Battailon, Te Awamutu Alan Peart DFC - No. 81 Squadron RAF, Hamilton Front Row, Left To Right Fred Blank - 24 Battailon, Tirau Galvan Garmonsway - 24 Battailon, Putaruru George Falconer - Artillery, Te Awamutu Brynn Hughes - 22 Battalion, Cambridge See more at Facebook here: www.facebook.com/dave.homewood/media_set?set=a.10152540834303764.1073741908.610553763&type=1 |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 30, 2014 22:07:18 GMT 12
The newest episode of Courage And Valour: New Zealanders In The Italian Campaign - "Episode Three - Castel Frentano And Orsogna" is now online. Download and/or listen now for free. In this third episode in the Courage And Valour series we hear from veterans of the New Zealand Infantry remembering their part in the battles to take the German regional headquarters and the nearby village of Castel Frentano, and their attempt to also capture the stronghold village of Orsogna. As well as battling the Germans, these kiwi troops had to also contend with weather they’d never struck before, battling the cold, the mud, the rain and the heavy snowfalls. This campaign lasted from November 1943 through to late January 1944. Featuring in order of this episode: Colin Murray Harry Hopping Galvan Garmonsway Pat Green Gordon Briggs Fred Blank Maurie Hodgson Ted “Bluey” Homewood Jack Cummins Norm Harris Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 9 seconds Narration provided by Jason McQuarters Recordings and Editing by Dave Homewood Produced by Dave Homewood Here's the link: www.newzealandersatwar.com/Couarage_And_Valour/episode-3-castel-frentano-and-orsogna-2/ |
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