Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 20, 2011 9:23:23 GMT 12
Many of the wartime RNZAF stations had separate accommodation camps outside of the airfield boundary, usually with the standard four or six man huts with wooden floors and walls and canvas sides and roof.
Some were situated outside of the airfield for reasons of safety in case the airfield was bombed and others simply because there were too many people to fit in the barracks on station. In the case of Hamilton and Gisborne the whole stations were dispersed so it was natural to have dispersed camps.
Damon and I were discussing this yesterday, and I thought I would bring it up here.
Some examples are:
RNZAF Station Waipapakauri had three dispersed camps. One was called Awanui Flats (because it literally was on a piece of ground that was called Awanui Flats, the village of Awanui being near to Waipap and the Awanui River also being nearby). The second was called Snake Gully (no doubt after the farm in the then popular radio series from Australia, Dad and Dave). The third was called Wuthering Heights, after the popular book I expect, and I believe it was on a bit of a rise.
RNZAF Station Ohakea had a dispersed camp on the south-eastern side of the airfield, the most exposed part, fittingly known as Siberia.
RNZAF Station Hamilton also had a camp called Snake Gully near to Fairfield Bridge. Hamilton had another large accommodation camp in Anglesea Street but I have never found any names associated with it.
RNZAF Station Rukuhia had a dispersed camp called The Narrows. This latter camp was at a place on the Waikato River which is known as The Narrows and the camp still exists as a children's health camp to this day.
RNZAF Station Harewood in Christchurch had three dispersed camps, known as No. 1 Camp, No. 2 Camp and No. 3 Camp. I forget which was which, I have it somewhere, but one of these was on Russley Gold Course and another on Orchard Road, all near the station.
RNZAF Station Gisborne also had a dispersed camp but I don't know if it ever got a nickname.
The only other one I'm aware of was at RNZAF Station Whenuapai where there was either one or two dispersed camps set up outside of the airfield. I'm told that one was called Lucanville but I don't know why. And I have heard conflicting tales that it was either over by the golf course/bomb dump side near the gully there, or on the western side of the main gate near the saw mill. I am sure I have seen photographic evidence of the latter but have been told by someone who lived there about the golf course side camp, so perhaps there were indeed two there? Can anyone here shed more light on Lucanville's location and was there a second camp at Whenuapai?
Also were there other such dispersed accommodation camps outside other stations?
Some were situated outside of the airfield for reasons of safety in case the airfield was bombed and others simply because there were too many people to fit in the barracks on station. In the case of Hamilton and Gisborne the whole stations were dispersed so it was natural to have dispersed camps.
Damon and I were discussing this yesterday, and I thought I would bring it up here.
Some examples are:
RNZAF Station Waipapakauri had three dispersed camps. One was called Awanui Flats (because it literally was on a piece of ground that was called Awanui Flats, the village of Awanui being near to Waipap and the Awanui River also being nearby). The second was called Snake Gully (no doubt after the farm in the then popular radio series from Australia, Dad and Dave). The third was called Wuthering Heights, after the popular book I expect, and I believe it was on a bit of a rise.
RNZAF Station Ohakea had a dispersed camp on the south-eastern side of the airfield, the most exposed part, fittingly known as Siberia.
RNZAF Station Hamilton also had a camp called Snake Gully near to Fairfield Bridge. Hamilton had another large accommodation camp in Anglesea Street but I have never found any names associated with it.
RNZAF Station Rukuhia had a dispersed camp called The Narrows. This latter camp was at a place on the Waikato River which is known as The Narrows and the camp still exists as a children's health camp to this day.
RNZAF Station Harewood in Christchurch had three dispersed camps, known as No. 1 Camp, No. 2 Camp and No. 3 Camp. I forget which was which, I have it somewhere, but one of these was on Russley Gold Course and another on Orchard Road, all near the station.
RNZAF Station Gisborne also had a dispersed camp but I don't know if it ever got a nickname.
The only other one I'm aware of was at RNZAF Station Whenuapai where there was either one or two dispersed camps set up outside of the airfield. I'm told that one was called Lucanville but I don't know why. And I have heard conflicting tales that it was either over by the golf course/bomb dump side near the gully there, or on the western side of the main gate near the saw mill. I am sure I have seen photographic evidence of the latter but have been told by someone who lived there about the golf course side camp, so perhaps there were indeed two there? Can anyone here shed more light on Lucanville's location and was there a second camp at Whenuapai?
Also were there other such dispersed accommodation camps outside other stations?
