57 YEARS WITH WO REECE GOLDING
57 Years, 7 months – A lifetime of Naval Service My time is up, says Warrant Officer Seaman Combat Specialist Reece Golding MNZM, MSM. In sincere gratitude to the service he values, and to the wider NZDF, WOSCS Golding pens his farewell to his Navy community.
My naval service commenced on completion of 4th form year at Putaruru High School, and finishes with my retirement as a Warrant Officer, MNZM, MSM at HMNZS NGAPONA sub-unit (Tauranga). In reflection, our family were all engaged in the NZ Armed Forces; both Grandfathers serving in Gallipoli and the Western Front respectively. In World War 2, my father was a WO2 serving in Greece, North Africa and Italy with 26 Battalion, NZEF and 8th Army. There was an uncle in the RNZAF, serving in the Pacific theatre on Bougainville. In modern times, I have had a brother in the RNZN, a son with the RNZAF and elder son who is still serving as a Navy Captain. Collectively we are a family who has significantly contributed to the NZDF. Looking back, I have had many highlights, starting with a family day at sea in 1958 in HMNZS ROYALIST. I was 12 years old at the time. The cruiser ventured out into the Hauraki Gulf for a day and conducted as I remember, many evolutions as well as live firing the stag anti-aircraft guns. However, it was the quality of food at time that attracted me to the Navy; it was awesome and still is throughout the Navy. I recall I was like Oliver Twist, please sir, can I have some more. Joining the RNZN in 1963, the final winter intake on Motuihe Island (The Rock) was a challenging experience. I took aboard the advice from a ‘sea dad’ to “zip it up and keep your head down” and was rewarded for my endurance by receiving the Cleland
Challenge Cup, awarded for the best all-round Seaman Boy. After a period of sea time in HMNZS PUKAKI, I went on to top my Basic Branch Training (BBT) as a Underwater Weapons specialist (UW – mines, torpedoes and demolitions) which set me on course to success – Commander Auckland at the time posted all high flyers to Whitby-class frigates. I was posted to HMNZS OTAGO where I remained for the next six years, deploying to Pearl Harbor for ship and crew battle assessment, before entering the Indonesia Confrontation (1963-66) as part of the Commonwealth Forces. One could say I was thrown in the deep end as a relative youngster. However, the Navy family ensured nurturing, training and a wide range of recreational programmes were available to balance the serious side of why we were there. In my case, boys grew up quickly and came home to New Zealand as men, with wideranging life skills. Typical of evolving technology, my branch choice was made redundant. I was provided with the option to either return home to retrain as a Weapon Mechanic (WM), or remain on board OTAGO and be trained a gunner. Having previously experienced what serving in a ship had to offer, I stayed on board and eventually ended up in the Gunnery Branch. I was just breaking into the ship’s 1st XV Rugby Team, was a member of the Māori Concert Party and later in Singapore I passed my Diving Course to become a member of the ship’s Dive Team.
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