Editorial: The war effort

Two years ago we began talking about how Heritage New Zealand magazine would commemorate the centenary of World War I. We knew there would be dozens (maybe even hundreds) of books published about the war and that the Ministry for Culture and Heritage was setting up WW100 as New Zealand’s World War I centenary programme (visit it on www.ww100.govt.nz). We weren’t confident that a quarterly publication of only 56 pages could do it justice when individuals and organisations far more expert were doing such amazing work.

In an effort to stick to our knitting, we decided to focus on how the war over there affected life and place over here. We were also smart enough to know that the others knew much more than we did so we approached them for help. Thank you to everyone who assisted us with the stories and images that follow.

In particular, I’d like to extend deep gratitude to Jock Phillips, historian and editor at the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, who served as our invaluable fact-checking eyes. He not only was available as a resource for writers but read all the copy and provided helpful corrections and suggestions. I’d also like to thank historians Imelda Bargas, Tim Shoebridge and Gavin McLean, also from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, for their assistance.

I must send an equally huge bouquet to Glyn Harper, Professor of War Studies at Massey University. Glyn, who is an expert on World War I history and is part-way through the publication of at least a dozen books about the war, took time out of his busy schedule to make himself available to almost all of our writers. We are grateful to Glyn and apologetic for taking so much of his time. Massey’s James Watson, a Professor of History, was also instrumental in this publication. We hope you enjoy reading this commemorative issue.

Bette Flagler Editor

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Antigua Boatsheds

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WT Partnership NZ Ltd

Thank you to all our members and supporters who have made donations to Heritage New Zealand recently, a large number of whom generously supported our appeal for Antrim House. Many of those individuals are gratefully acknowledged elsewhere in this magazine.

We would particularly like to thank the following people for their generosity;

David & Genevieve Becroft Foundation

Mr A & Mrs M Bloomer

Mrs E Leary-Taylor

Mr L R Smith

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A reader’s letter

As a long-time (67 years) bach occupier on Rangitoto Island, I was interested in reading Yvonne van Dongen’s article (Issue 131). It certainly gave the island, an Auckland Iconic Destination (according to the Department of Conservation), welcome publicity. I was, however, disappointed by some of the errors in the text and felt that Yvonne could have consulted with locals. The lifetime leases she hinted at were in fact issued in 1956, not 1937. The swimming pool was built by inmates of Auckland Prison, not by the bach owners, and the “electric” lights were powered by a petrol generator, there being no electricity on the island, then and now.

But the writer’s greatest mistake was perpetuating a popular myth by implying that the community on the island is a thing of the past. Far from it. All the baches under family guardianship are used, most on a regular basis. The population is not as large as it was, but on a long weekend and over the summer holidays 20 to 30 people from the Rangitoto Wharf bach settlement (one of three on the island) get together for evening drinks after the last ferry has left for Auckland with its load of day visitors. The bach families still pursue the same activities as their predecessors: fishing, walking, chatting, beachcombing and boating.

In the same issue I noticed the article on the Cape Campbell lighthouse. This mentioned that the structure is one of only three striped lighthouses in New Zealand. Not true. The Rangitoto Island lighthouse in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf has been striped since ages ago!

John Walsh, Vice Chair, Rangitoto Island Bach Community Association

JASPER BERLIN

Illustrator

London in the 1970s was awash with ludicrous fashion and mullets. Jasper Berlin had both. He worked in the oil industry which, while lucrative, was not the life for him. Drawing was what he was good at. A commission for a recruitment ad for the navy was his introduction to commercial illustration. Jasper found his way to New Zealand in 1987 and is one of our most in-demand editorial illustrators.

About the work he did for this issue (The business of war, page 24), Jasper says, “This explores the local economic landscape during this period. The illustrations reflect the bucolic nature of New Zealand’s home front, rather than the charnel house awaiting the troops in Europe.”

BOB KERR

Illustrator

Bob Kerr paints landscapes of conflict. He first read Archibald Baxter’s book We Will Not Cease in the Tokoroa High School library, describing Baxter’s and Mark Briggs’ experiences of Field Punishment No. 1 during World War I, and thought it must be a work of fiction – a New Zealand government wouldn’t torture its own citizens. He has painted a series about the police invasion of Maungapohatu in 1916 and another on the Waihi gold strike of 1913, and most recently has illustrated a children’s book, Best Mates, about three friends who go to Gallipoli. For this issue he provided the illustrations for A matter of principle, see page 8.

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Sergeant Eric Wanden, pictured with two friends, was 21 years old when he left for the war in the Dardanelles. He was soon hit by a bullet which damaged his lower jaw. He came back to New Zealand on the troopship Willochra, regained fitness and returned to Egypt where he was promoted to second lieutenant with the 10th Squadron, Canterbury Mounted Rifles.

Sergeant Charles Frederick Scrimgeour describes how Eric met his fate in Palestine: “On the 25th September (1918) we were at a redoubt just before Amman. When galloping into action I saw him hit in the heart by a rifle bullet and killed instantaneously. He was buried that afternoon near the spot where he fell…”

Studio portraits of soldiers in uniform typically featured solemn faces. That is what makes this postcard of three who have swapped hats rare. The New Zealand officer Will (seated), a second lieutenant in the 1st Canterbury Regiment, is joined by an Englishman (right) from the Somerset Light Infantry (wearing Will’s lemon squeezer hat) and a Scotsman.

See more postcards at http://100nzww1postcards.blogspot. co.nz/