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Post by tbf25o4 on Jan 29, 2020 11:52:17 GMT 12
Joe Burns was a member of 25 Battalion and served in Greece during that disastrous campaign in 1941. he was a batman to the Battalion CO. After arriving back in Egypt he was medically downgraded and returned to NZ. I remember that ex-25 Battalion personnel visited Wigram in the early 1970s and when they saw Joe is was "how are you son!" cries from him all round. It was funny seeing these middle aged guys calling each other "son". Who remembers Joe's bike being thrown on the roof of the canteen? Also when he set his bedding on fire in block 2 and when they went to the Canteen to get him to unlock the door, Joe thought they were having him on until they shoved him to the window of the canteen and he could see the smoke oozing from his window
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 29, 2020 11:58:55 GMT 12
Over the years loads of people have reminisced about Joe Burns, he sees to be one of those true legends of the Air Force (like Jimmy 'The Bull' Duncan, and Terry Wereta). But does anyone have a photo of Joe? I have never seen one.
Someone once suggested the RNZAF term "Joe Time" (meaning smoko) came from Joe Burns, is that true?
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Post by tbf25o4 on Jan 29, 2020 15:29:32 GMT 12
Joe time came from the the US Army/Marines. In particular for the RNZAF it came from WWII SWPA service where the Marines termed their coffee breaks "Joe Time" (Coffee was also referred to as a cup of "Java") I believe that the original term Joe came from the American equivalent of the YMCA service canteen vehicle that was originally driven by a man called Joe. The NZ Army equivalent is of course "Smoko" coming from a break to have a "derby"
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 29, 2020 15:57:42 GMT 12
"I believe that the original term Joe came from the American equivalent of the YMCA service canteen vehicle that was originally driven by a man called Joe."
That is exactly the story I heard with respect to Joe Burns, that he had the original Joe Wagon, taking tea and pies around to sections. If this is not true, and it probably isn't, what was his actual job?
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Post by baronbeeza on Jan 30, 2020 0:13:30 GMT 12
A photo of Joe. He was either taking the photo or manning the phones while everyone else was posing. Something like that. I think I have a pic of Ross Gibson but not at all sure about Joe. I never saw Joe drive anything, I am not sure I saw him walk anywhere. He had a bike.. He will be in the rugby pics. This may well be taken about 1979 with Graham Holland, coach, on the right. He would have been at CTS then. It looks to be a Wigram Interbase team.
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Post by shorty on Jan 30, 2020 6:15:11 GMT 12
I was always told that the term Joe Time came about because the guys who drove the YMCA trucks were known as "Triangle Joe"
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 30, 2020 7:18:07 GMT 12
Come to think of it I'd also heard that theory too Shorty.
Which one is Joe Burns in that photo, sorry?
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Post by tbf25o4 on Jan 30, 2020 8:05:05 GMT 12
Shorty, thanks for jogging my memory, you correct on the triangle joe origins
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Post by davidd on Jan 30, 2020 13:54:21 GMT 12
Is that not Joe Burns right in the middle of the group, the little fellow with glasses and woollen hat? Also the supposed origins of "Joe Time" have been extensively covered on this site over the years, and in other forums. It is all about the Triangle, symbol of the YMCA, even though that charity was not the only one to provide refreshments at morning and afternoon tea time, at least in the RAF there were several others. However, so far as I know, in RNZAF, the YMCA seems to have been the only one.
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Post by baronbeeza on Jan 30, 2020 15:08:27 GMT 12
Is that not Joe Burns right in the middle of the group, the little fellow with glasses and woollen hat? ..... I think the others in the pic would be a little peeved if they were taken to be WW2 veterans. That would have been taken about 4 years before Joe 'retired'.
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Post by oj on Jan 30, 2020 20:24:10 GMT 12
I too have strong feelings we have written about Joe elsewhere in this site.
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Post by oj on Jan 30, 2020 20:38:48 GMT 12
That is definately not Joe Burns in the photo. I knew him well from almost daily sightings during the 1960s at Wigram, particularly in the airmens club and sometimes local pubs. Had conversations with him several times. And he was of course the most dapper-dressed gentleman at the Riccarton races.
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Post by camtech on Jan 30, 2020 20:45:08 GMT 12
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Post by oj on Jan 30, 2020 21:53:53 GMT 12
I stand corrected. Some slight changes in appearance over the 10 years between our respective observations. I de-mobbed in 1967,so had not seen your later photo. My apologies. OJ
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Post by baronbeeza on Jan 31, 2020 8:05:28 GMT 12
The presentation pic is from Interbase 1979 in Wellington. The comments with the team photo were thinking the same event. I see JK Allen and Lawrie Agnew were in the team along with Tony Katting. I can see Joe and Graham Holland in the pic but can't put names to the others at this stage. I don't see the guys we know were in the team so I am thinking the photo is from an earlier event. Am I right or........
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Post by lancelink on Apr 27, 2020 16:25:21 GMT 12
Howie Paniora was the chappie from Hobby, I believe he won a Golsen Kiwi at one stage.
Paddy (Fish) Herron was the runner at WP, liked a whiskey or three.
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Post by davidd on Apr 28, 2020 10:57:41 GMT 12
I hope that Kiwi was actually the one with the shine and colour of a precious metal, not that 'orrible "Golsen" cheap imitation! David D
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Post by denysjones on Apr 28, 2020 13:59:08 GMT 12
There are two photos of Joe on Page 314 of Bee Dawson's history of Wigram.
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