Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 25, 2017 10:43:37 GMT 12
First Look Review
LAUCALA BAY - The Story of the RNZAF in Fiji 1939 to 1967
By Bee Dawson
Penguin Random House
Released February 2017
ISBN 978-0-14-377038-1
I have just received a copy of the new book "LAUCALA BAY" courtesy of Bee Dawson. I have been really looking forward to this as I have copies of Bee's previous books on WIGRAM and HOBSONVILLE, which are firm favourites. Having lived, worked and socialised at both RNZAF Bases Wigram and Hobsonville, those places really get ingrained in your psyche, and it still irks to see what have become of those once fine Air Force stations/bases, with so much history lost. But Bee's books on those two places are an excellent tribute to the memory of both those amazing places,and to the many generations of fine people who passed through them in the service of the RNZAF.
For me, Laucala Bay - or Lauthala Bay as the RNZAF preferred to spell it - is a lot less well known. I never served at that famous station, and I have never had the opportunity to visit Fiji to see the remains of the station. However I have heard a little about it from talking with veterans who served there with the Short Singapores, Consolidated Catalinas and Short Sunderlands over the years. It always sounded like a tranquil paradise, an idyllic spot in the Pacific, even during wartime.
Having a much shorter RNZAF history than either Hobsonville or Wigram, with the RNZAF presence in Fiji only spanning 28 years, I was sort of expecting this to be a smaller book then its predecessors. However I was wrong. It's a really solid history indeed, with 336 pages! That includes an index which is always helpful.
This book is in the same format and layout style as the two previous books, so compliments them perfectly. Like the books on Wigram and Hobsonville, the Laucala Bay book is rich with historic photos all the way through on almost every page. I suspect almost all of he photos have never been published before. The majority come from the archives of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand but there are also excellent shots from private collections too.
Of course interspersed with the photos is the narrative text, which like the other books is easy to read and is sort of sectionalised with sub headings, so you can either happily read the book from cover to cover or simply cherry-pick a sub-headed topic and read that section. I have only done the latter here and there since receiving the book in the post yesterday, and have not yet read the book right through but the sections I have read have been marvellous.
Of note, despite the name of the book it does not concentrate only on RNZAF Station Laucala Bay. Also covered is the RNZAF presence at places like Nadi, Nausori, Suva and Lautoka. It's an all round history of the RNZAF in Fiji, and so is not just about the Catalina and Sunderland flying boats but also the Vickers Vincents, Short Singapores, DH60 Moth, DH86 Express, DH89 Dragon Rapides, Lockheed Hudsons and Venturas, the Grumman Avenger, etc. The RNZAF Marine Section who operated the flying boat tender boats are also well covered. And there's a wonderful mix of personal stories too, including the romances that bloomed in the tropical paradise of Fiji.
I am really pleased with this book, it's the perfect companion to the Wigram and Hobsonville counterparts, and forms another very fine record of a lost station from out Air Force's history. Anyone who served there will be thrilled to see this book, I'm sure, as it will be jam-packed with memories for them. And anyone who has the other two books needs to buy this one to complete their excellent set. It's also very reasonably priced at RRP NZ$45.00. I am sure it will soon be in all good book stores, and will certainly be ablable from the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
More info here:
penguin.co.nz/books/laucala-bay-9780143770381
LAUCALA BAY - The Story of the RNZAF in Fiji 1939 to 1967
By Bee Dawson
Penguin Random House
Released February 2017
ISBN 978-0-14-377038-1
I have just received a copy of the new book "LAUCALA BAY" courtesy of Bee Dawson. I have been really looking forward to this as I have copies of Bee's previous books on WIGRAM and HOBSONVILLE, which are firm favourites. Having lived, worked and socialised at both RNZAF Bases Wigram and Hobsonville, those places really get ingrained in your psyche, and it still irks to see what have become of those once fine Air Force stations/bases, with so much history lost. But Bee's books on those two places are an excellent tribute to the memory of both those amazing places,and to the many generations of fine people who passed through them in the service of the RNZAF.
For me, Laucala Bay - or Lauthala Bay as the RNZAF preferred to spell it - is a lot less well known. I never served at that famous station, and I have never had the opportunity to visit Fiji to see the remains of the station. However I have heard a little about it from talking with veterans who served there with the Short Singapores, Consolidated Catalinas and Short Sunderlands over the years. It always sounded like a tranquil paradise, an idyllic spot in the Pacific, even during wartime.
Having a much shorter RNZAF history than either Hobsonville or Wigram, with the RNZAF presence in Fiji only spanning 28 years, I was sort of expecting this to be a smaller book then its predecessors. However I was wrong. It's a really solid history indeed, with 336 pages! That includes an index which is always helpful.
This book is in the same format and layout style as the two previous books, so compliments them perfectly. Like the books on Wigram and Hobsonville, the Laucala Bay book is rich with historic photos all the way through on almost every page. I suspect almost all of he photos have never been published before. The majority come from the archives of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand but there are also excellent shots from private collections too.
Of course interspersed with the photos is the narrative text, which like the other books is easy to read and is sort of sectionalised with sub headings, so you can either happily read the book from cover to cover or simply cherry-pick a sub-headed topic and read that section. I have only done the latter here and there since receiving the book in the post yesterday, and have not yet read the book right through but the sections I have read have been marvellous.
Of note, despite the name of the book it does not concentrate only on RNZAF Station Laucala Bay. Also covered is the RNZAF presence at places like Nadi, Nausori, Suva and Lautoka. It's an all round history of the RNZAF in Fiji, and so is not just about the Catalina and Sunderland flying boats but also the Vickers Vincents, Short Singapores, DH60 Moth, DH86 Express, DH89 Dragon Rapides, Lockheed Hudsons and Venturas, the Grumman Avenger, etc. The RNZAF Marine Section who operated the flying boat tender boats are also well covered. And there's a wonderful mix of personal stories too, including the romances that bloomed in the tropical paradise of Fiji.
I am really pleased with this book, it's the perfect companion to the Wigram and Hobsonville counterparts, and forms another very fine record of a lost station from out Air Force's history. Anyone who served there will be thrilled to see this book, I'm sure, as it will be jam-packed with memories for them. And anyone who has the other two books needs to buy this one to complete their excellent set. It's also very reasonably priced at RRP NZ$45.00. I am sure it will soon be in all good book stores, and will certainly be ablable from the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
More info here:
penguin.co.nz/books/laucala-bay-9780143770381
