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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 6, 2015 8:23:14 GMT 12
Every time in recent years that I have passed the Papakura Military Camp the place looks really run down and nearly derelict from the outside. If I was not aware this is the headquarters for the NZ SAS, I would assume the place had been abandoned.
Are there any other Army units still based there? Or is it purely an SAS camp now?
When you look on Google Earth at the camp something that strikes me is how few buildings there are. I know when the camp was established in 1939 most of the men there would have lived in bell tents, but did they not build barracks postwar for all the soldiers based there over the decades? There don't seem to be the traditional barracks visible, and if there are still some barracks now, have a lot of the older buildings been demolished? It's mostly a big empty space.
I'm also curious about training there. So close to the Papakura township, do they actually do any training other than drill and classroom work there? Or are all their live firing exercises and that sort of thing conducted elsewhere?
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Post by currawong on Jan 22, 2015 23:11:06 GMT 12
Dave,
Used to be barracks, 10 man, 4 man, you name it.
The playing fields would disappear under canvas when required also.
The range was a few klicks east, in the foot hills of the Hunua Ranges.
That Hunua area to the north east was utilised as an exercise area.
That was over 20 years ago though.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 23, 2015 7:03:11 GMT 12
Thanks very much!! That explains it all. Cheers.
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Post by starr on Jan 23, 2015 10:04:35 GMT 12
The firing range was at Ardmore at the end of Petersons Rd., off Papakura-Clevedon Rd., behind the Military lockup.
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Post by kb on Feb 1, 2015 16:19:45 GMT 12
I have been copying my Grandmother's photos and memorabilia including a number of WW1 and WW2 photos in NZ. Among the memorabilia is a Christmas booklet produced by Papakura Camp. Unfortunately it is not signed or dated but almost certainly came from my uncle. On the back it has an aerial photo of the camp and inside a complete list of camp personnel.
Is there any interest in posting a copy? I suspect that it is well known.
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Post by raymond on Feb 1, 2015 19:45:06 GMT 12
post it please!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 1, 2015 21:34:59 GMT 12
Yes please Keith! Sounds great!
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 2, 2015 10:45:16 GMT 12
More details about the Ardmore range are in the Lost Military Camps Ardmore Post on this page. There is a large buuilding programme uner way within the area. Dave the current bases and units are on this chart downloaded from the NZ Army site. At Papakura the original huge camp has been really reduced and the land given over to some housing and a lot of playing fields The SAS Camp is ringed by a very impressive fence and a very plain 'door' All rather different to the CMT days
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Post by kb on Feb 2, 2015 18:45:57 GMT 12
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Post by kb on Feb 2, 2015 19:29:44 GMT 12
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zolteg
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 82
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Post by zolteg on Feb 2, 2015 21:19:44 GMT 12
Camp Provost Section, Cpl Moody E.L. M.C. - I thought the MC was for Commissioned and Warrant Officers only back then...be interesting to see what his story was....Wikipedia's no help....
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Post by kb on Feb 3, 2015 12:54:29 GMT 12
Good spotting Zolteg. My guess is that he held the temporary rank of Warrant Officer during WW1 and reenlisted during WW2 at a lower rank.
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