Airing their memories - Hobsonville

[Ykato]

The old Hobsonville air base is in for a change. Hayley Hannan learns about the plans to preserve its history.

Arthur Strother has his Air Force service carefully chronicled in a large binder. Yellowing photographs are preserved in laminated sheets, photographs of another time. Among the solemn faces and carefully groomed hair, is Mr Strother, a strapping young engineer in uniform.

Mr Strother served in the force from 1939, when he was 22, until the age of 55, when his age compelled him to leave. Now 93, he started out assembling engines for the Tiger Moths while housed in tents at Hobsonville air base.



Full Story is Located Here:
www.theaucklander.co.nz/local/news/airing-their-memories/3930369/

[Dave Homewood]

Art Strother is a top bloke, I have interviewed him for my book project and he had some interesting times. I will post that article in full here for posterity in case it disappears off the original site.

Airing their memories
Hayley Hannan | 20th November 2010


The old Hobsonville air base is in for a change. Hayley Hannan learns about the plans to preserve its history.

Arthur Strother has his Air Force service carefully chronicled in a large binder. Yellowing photographs are preserved in laminated sheets, photographs of another time. Among the solemn faces and carefully groomed hair, is Mr Strother, a strapping young engineer in uniform.

Mr Strother served in the force from 1939, when he was 22, until the age of 55, when his age compelled him to leave. Now 93, he started out assembling engines for the Tiger Moths while housed in tents at Hobsonville air base.

The Air Force sent him to Fiji to maintain Singapore air boat engines, planes used against the Japanese in World War II.

"On the Singapores we used to have to do all the inspections out on the water. The number of screwdrivers and spanners that went down in the water, it's not even funny," he says, cracking a smile. "We got cunning. We used to tie the tools around our wrists."

After Fiji, Mr Strother was sent to Singapore then back to Hobsonville. He describes his time at Hobsonville fondly. Despite starting out as basic, he says the base became "one of the best in New Zealand".

Hobsonville served as a training ground and home for Air Force staff.

The precinct became the premier flying boat base, until 1967, when flying boats were phased out.

In later years, the base became a repair and equipment centre. Now, the Hobsonville Land Company is putting 3000 houses and a primary and high school on the land.

Although the land's use is changing, Hobsonville old boys are determined not to lose the memories connected with the area. Their association is gathering photos for next year's reunion. Chairman Ian Ronalds says it is important to learn from history.

"Unfortunately, a lot of people don't take note of what has happened. [History] gives us as a nation, and as individuals, a foundation."

The association is working with the developer and the Air Force to create a new memorial for all those who served, after the previous memorial was torn down in 2008. The design plans are in their final stages, says Mr Ronalds who hopes to have the memorial up in time for the reunion.

The company is also gathering the stories of the people who have lived or worked at the base. Chief executive Sean Bignell says the Catalina Cafe has a book for anyone to record their memories. He says these accounts will be published in a book and used in historical markers around a 4.5km loop of land.

Home invasion
The first five show homes at Hobsonville Pt are being built, says Hobsonville Land Company chief executive Sean Bignell.

Another 82 houses are going through phases of consent, he says. The 167ha plot is being developed into 3000 houses over the next 13 years.

Plans include a primary school, completed by 2013, and a high school, by 2014. A ferry terminal is also planned, carrying passengers from the point to downtown Auckland.

[Dave Homewood]

How did it come to it that the memorial was torn out in 2008??

It was mentioned by someone when we visited Hobsonville for the forum meet in October that some of the newly laid streets near the gate need to be ripped up and re-done as the Australian contracting company made them far too narrow for two cars to pass each other. Typical Housing Corp bungling by the sounds of things.

[phil]

The memorial gardens at Ohakea (by the old museum) were also ripped up by contractors.

It would seem nothing stands in the way of 'progress'.

[Dave Homewood]

It's pretty disgusting. Additionally a lot of the old trees at Hobsonville, some of which are now gone, were each planted in 1940 as memorials to former Hobsonville airmen who were killed in the war in Europe.

[lesterpk]

The streets are narrow on purpose, means people drive slow. Most of the road frontage houses dont have a driveway access to their garage, you park on the road side. meant to encourage you to use public transport etc....