RNZAF Stations

[Dave Homewood]

On my site, as some of you know, I have been piecing together a few pages on the various Stations, Depots and Airfields occupied or used by the RNZAF in WWII.

Here is the North Island page
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/RNZAF%20Stations%20North%20Island.htm#Palmy

And the South Island page
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/RNZAF%20Stations%20South%20Island.htm

As you will see from those pages they are ever evolving and constantly being added to when i find the time or new info. I have just added some new maps to both pages which I've created.

The reasons I am posting here about them are:

1) Can you chaps please take a look throguh the two pages listed above and see if you spot
- any mistakes that I can correct?
- any gaps that you can fill in?
- any places missing from the list?

Any additional info, especially things like dates when airfields opened and were taken over by the RNZAF, and when the Air Force left, etc. Also any units on those stations I have not yet included. I'm sure there is a lot missing.

Another thing I'd really like to know are all the bases the RNZAF occupied or used in the Pacific. I know there were heaps and I have a good idea of many, but if you can suggest any stations, camps, airstrips, depots, units, etc of the RNZAF in the Pacific it may help me sort out a new page for the site like the NZ ones. Also, which RNZAF squadrons and units were based in those places?

Cheers.

[corsair67]

Gee, you've certainly done some research on that, Dave: it looks really good. Certainly taught me a few things about the RNZAF's wartime locations in NZ. I never realised the Delta was such a big establishment.

I believe Birdling's Flat was used by the RNZAF throughout the 1950's too by the Wigram-based Harvards. Do you know if this is true? I'll have to ask my Dad as he had quite a few acres out there as winter grazing for the sheep when there was snow up on the surrounding hills.

[Dave Homewood]

I'm not sure but it's highly likely. I'm keen to see what you discover.

Thanks for the comments too. It has a long way to go to be complete, like most of the site.

[steve]

Here is a new RNZAF traing location....Alfriston Ground Radar (RNZAF) training depot.
Location was opposite the village hall and school ..Alfriston approx 5 km North west of Ardmore.

[steve]

RNZAF Parnell was a storage facility and operational up until the mid 1970s. I rememeber when i was in the ambulance service there was a bombing there by a protester of some kind after that suicide explosion at the wanganui computer centre. I am not sure what was stored there however it was front page headlines in the nz herald. The port facility was in the strand up from mechanics bay and was storage for the flying boat base etc. The buildings were demolished about 5 years ago however the RNZAF depot name was visable until it came down for appartments,

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Steve, this info is much appreciated. I'd forgotten that you'd told me about Alfriston on the phone. I'll add it in when I get a cgance. My Dad went to school at Alfriston when he grew up next to wartime and postwar RNZAF Station Ardmore

[steve]

Parnell>>RNZAF depot...I went past there the other day..its location was in York Street ...what was stored there and why was it needed.?.after all it was in existance up until the mid 80s from memory... it is now are research corporation..quite small and closed before Te Rapa?

[Dave Homewood]

I'm not certain on this, but a suggestion made to me was that the Parnell stores depot was used to store equipment before eploying overseas from the port. So if a squadron was sailing, it's gear was sent there to await embarkation. Does this ring true with anyone?

Thanks for these snippets Steve. All pieces of the jigsaw.

[steve]

Port storage...that sounds logical especially if "The Strand" large storage facilities were closed by the late 60s...Maybe someone in the RNZAF in AKL in the early seventies could help..I do vividly remember the deliberate explosion at the location... at the time i never new of the place and went down to check it out..similar to the storeage facilty in Hamilton (valentines restaurant location i think) Talk about Valentines who remembers Valentines Military Surplus in the main street in HAmilton...I remember reading their adverts every week in the weekly news and then when travelling with the "OLDs" dropping in ...great place to purchase genuine Air force leather flying helmets,Mae Wests, flying jackets and army helmets (old british design) for 25cents!

[Dave Homewood]

I have finally had some time to look at this.

I have added Kerikeri to the North Island map as it was somehow missed off.

I have however decided not to add in Alfriston at this stage. This is because you say it was a radar training centre. There were actually dozens of RNZAF Radar Stations, all secret, dotted around the country. None appear on my current pages. But I intend to create a seperate page for them with it's own map, and Alfriston will go onto that page instead as it is obviously part of the network.

Regarding Parnell, one chap who was an RNZAF driver in WWII said he sometimes delivered items to the storgae facilities there and he described the warehouses as being on "Parnell Rise". I am not too familiar with that area of town. Is that where York Street is?

Further to this, I read last week in that book The Museum Makers about a port facility built by the US troops at Mechanics Bay in Aucland. It said that by Apri- May 1965, BP Petrol and Oil were being forced to consolidate their holdings (they must have then had use of the ex-military port facilities, as it was being remodelled in that area for a new container wharf. Motat was given several of the buildings - an army Nissan hut; a T-shaped building that they had to cut in two for removal to Western Springs; and then they were given No. 4 Cargo Shed, which was huge but capable of being disassembled and shifted.

So, was this perhaps the RNZAF depot at Mechanics Bay, where the Sunderlands, Empires, etc. used to fly from in WWII? Or was this simply something different?

I am trying to find out if Harold Stone who wrote the book is still alive. I'd love to chat to him about various aspects mentioned in his book.

[steve]

Yes that make sense ...Parnell Rise is up the Hill where Yorke Street is and the Strand facilities were storage for Mechanics Bay and the flying boats etc. Maybe Parnell Rise facilties were leased after losing the lower strand facilities in the late 60s...Alfriston..my information came from RNZAF radar stations...research book that you made mention to..Probably 3 or 4 buildings...in total

[Dave Homewood]

Cheers Steve.

The Parnell Rise site was definately in use during the war, probably in requisitioned existing buildings I'd imagine.

[SEAN]

Dave

Here are acouple more you may, or may not be aware of. I am still trying to find some more details on them.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Sean, brilliant!!!

I knew about some sort of facility being at Remuera, but had no idea what. The only evidence i had was an old pennant that came up on the internet somewhere, I think on TradeMe. See here

[Dave Homewood]

A quick search of the excellent online war histories and I find out the answer:

From "Reorganisation in 1944" in the book Royal New Zealand Air Force
www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2AirF-c18-3.html

"A new station was formed in Auckland, using accommodation which had been built at Remuera for an American Base Hospital. It housed No. 1 Port Depot, and absorbed the Personnel Reception Depot at Mangere, which was disbanded, and became responsible for the movement of all personnel and cargo into and out of New Zealand through Auckland."

[steve]

Excellent pics...I live very close to market road and see that the label is wrong(there is no step grade on the road)...what we see here is parnell rise with the high court visable at the top left(with the archways)..Market Road did have the an American Naval Hospital which was used after the war as a transit camp under the RNZAF..hence the penant...

[Dave Homewood]

So do you mean the captions should be swapped around? The big building is on Parnell Rise, and the flats on Market Road???

I wonder if those barrack flats in the bottom photo where the men are parading are still there, they look fairly permanent and I'd not be surprised if they were still being lived in. (Note the airmen are in tropical kit, probably off to the Pacific I'd guess).

The other larger building in the other photo may well be there still also I guess, though it looks less permanent.

Does anyone know what make of car the RNZAF staff car is in that photo, out of interest? Can the number plate be made out in the original photo Sean?

Where did you source these excellent photos from, out of interest? Or is that hush hush...

[Dave Homewood]

I'm sure you're right about that being the Auckland High Court Steve. Here's a photo
www.cmonsta.com/nz/waitomo/image/dscf7219.jpg

[SEAN]

The book the photos came from is the Official History of the Aerodrome Services Branch. I will try and find out some more info....

[steve]

The pic of the flats in Remuera got me interested as to the location of this ?airforce accomodation. I can confirm that the location is Bedford Street Parnell...I have just passed there today and those flats are still there.