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Anzac 2022: A Lasting Reminder?

Remembering those who fought for New Zealand in other localised wars across the globe; those who grew not old.

1899-1902 Anglo-Boer War

Our first international war was the Boer War of 1899-1902 in the Transvaal region of South Africa. Following the British annexation of Transvaal in October 1900, the conflict in South Africa entered a second phase: guerilla war.

Rotorua men were recruited, and of the men who went, only one did not come home. This soldier was Fred Wylie, who was killed in action at Klippersfontein. Wylie was part of the 7th contingent, 8 Coy. He was a farmer who lived at Galatea. His father Mr Joseph Wylie was a teacher and Justice of the Peace.

Others who went from Rotorua were Henry Robert Seymour Corlett (his father was Mr B. S. Corlett) and George Steele (one of the brothers who owned the Sawmill on the corner of Tūtānekai and Eruera Streets), who was a Sergeant and was shipped out at the same time as Wylie and Corlett. New Zealand soldiers are recorded in Stowers 'Rough Riders at War', including the names of the Māori detachment. Two Te Arawa men are named; E. Hikairo and A. Wiari. Stowers reports that some of the names in the list could be misspelt.

Māori were not welcomed by the British and were officially excluded from service in South Africa. However, Premier Richard Seddon made a push for Māori participation:

'Although permission to form a Māori contingent was never received, the New Zealand authorities sometimes turned a blind eye to individual Maori who tried to enlist under English names. Most of those who succeeded were 'half-castes' as those of mixed race were then generally known. Many were well-educated and fluent in spoken and written English.' NZHistory.govt.nz

Stowers also mentions the Māori nurses and orderlies who served during 1900; one such orderly was Petera Waaka (Tūhourangi). No further information is mentioned here.

The Wylie Memorial was commissioned for Rotorua after the war, and Mr Parkinson of Auckland was appointed, completing the statue by January of 1904. It was unveiled ca.19 January 1904. The statue comprised a water fountain at it's base and above a representation of a fallen soldier. Other memorials like this one were erected elsewhere in NZ.

JayForce 1946-1948

Outside of the well documented First World War and Second World War, JayForce was formed and served in Japan as the New Zealand contingent of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF).

Many Rotorua men were sent overseas for the Second World War and some stayed on, moving to JayForce and serving there. The following excerpt gives a reason they did that:

The Commonwealth troops were to oversee Japanese demilitarisation and demobilisation. JayForce was initially deployed in Yamaguchi prefecture on the southern tip of the main island of Honshu, and on nearby Eta Jima Island. This was a relatively poor rural region with a population of 1.4 million - not much less than New Zealand's total population at the time. The New Zealanders' first task was to search for military equipment. Little was found, as Yamaguchi had not had a major military presence during the war. JayForce also assisted with the repatriation of Japanese who were coming home and Koreans who were being returned to their own country... An April 1948 decision to withdraw JayForce from Japan was implemented by early 1949. (NZHistory.govt.nz)

Approximately 45 Rotorua men were part of the BCOF. You can find their names on the 'Online Cenotaph' https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph

Medallic recognition for JayForce, the New Zealand Service Medal 1946-1949, was issued in 1995.

KayForce 1950-1953

Prior to New Zealand's armed forces becoming involved, it was reported in February 1949 that "South Korea has been invaded by Soviet trained troops with Russian rifles, machine guns, mortars and field artillery" (Ashburton Guardian, 1949). And so began the Korean War, where many died in horrific conditions. In July of 1950, Koreans living in Japan were called upon to "rise and sabotage the war effort" (Ashburton Guardian, 1950).

New Zealand's 1056-man KayForce arrived at Pusan, South Korea on New Year's Eve 1950. It was part of the United Nations' 'police action' to repel North Korea's invasion of its southern neighbour. The New Zealanders joined the 27th British Commonwealth Infantry Brigade and saw action for the first time in late January 1951. Thereafter they took part in the operations in which UN forces fought their back across the 38th Parallel, recapturing Seoul in the process. (https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/first-nzer-killed-battle-korean-war)

Of those enlisted, 292 were from Rotorua, who were listed in the Rotorua Morning Post from 28 July 1950 to 4 August 1950. A further enlistment occurred in June 1951 and January 1953.

In November of 1951, an article printed in the Press (Christchurch) reports that the North Korean foreign minister made a four-point proposal to the United States to end the Korean War. However it was not until 1953 that an armistice was finally reached. The Russian Prime Minister immediately offered congratulations to Kim II Sung and also offered assistance to help "rehabilitate Korea".

It was an uneasy truce, it seems, because reports came from Taipei that the Republic of Korea would take military action if a general war flared up in the Formosa Strait, since now the Korean Communists had violated the truce agreement. (Press, 1955)

However, New Zealand had recalled Kay Force and in the Rotorua Post of 18 June 1957, this small article appeared on the front page:

K-Force men to return, only about 70 men will return in August. The troops go by sea to Hong Kong and will fly home in an airforce aircraft, No. 41 Squadron via Singapore, Darwin and Amberley, finally arriving at Whenuapai August 10th and 11th. Rotorua Post (1957, June 18).

Malayan Emergency 1952-1966

In 1948, three British planters in northern Malaya were murdered. This brought hostilities in Malaya dubbed 'The Malayan Emergency'. A guerilla campaign was mounted by the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party against presence of the British in Malaya. This gave British authorities a serious security problem and eventually troops were sent. This is where NZ became involved in 1949, when several army officers served there while on secondment with British units (NZHistory.govt.nz).

Since the situation in Malaya was ongoing, NZ called for SAS volunteers. Four Rotorua men enlisted and undertook training, and they embarked among a 190 strong contingent. These Rotorua men were Clive Ngatai, Buck H. Rogers, Mathew Tamehana and Sonny Osbourne (Rotorua Post, October 25, 1955).

Later, once the need for soldiers increased the Rotorua Post reported:

'Recruiting will start tomorrow for Malayan Battalion'

The Minister of Defence, Mr Macdonald said recruiting for an infantry battalion would start on the 19th of June at all army offices. The Army sub-area office in Rotorua is in the Mokoia Buildings at the corner of Hinemoa and Tutanekai Streets.

The article goes on to say:

The force will be known as the New Zealand Army Force, Far East Land Forces. The force is to be drawn mainly from new enlistments...volunteers will have the chance of the normal five years, regular engagement of three years...applications will be accepted from men between the ages of 21 and 35, with preference given to single men under 30. 20 year olds would be accepted providing they had their parents consent. (Rotorua Post, 1957)

In August of 1957, a photograph was published of all the Rotorua men who were leaving by bus for Papakura that day. Later, on page 6, the men were named. Those men were: D. Trueman, K. McGregor, G. Midwood, N.R. Mackay, V. Ratana, F. Eruini, D. Rogers, F. Clarke, R. Te Kiri, A. Williams, M. Curtis, D. Unsworth, and P. Morehu.

Others in the same photograph could be from Atiamuri: B. Slade, S. Kopa, R. Cassidy and G. Cassidy. Taupo: G. H. Grant. Waiarakei: G. Muller. Murupara: M. Tipoki. Mangakino: B. Middleton and R. Lloyd. (Rotorua Post, 1957).

Recruits were given basic training at Waiouru, Burnham and Papakura. The Central North Island recruits were sent to Papakura before being flown from Auckland to Malaya.

It was to turn into a long, drawn-out 'confrontation', and in October of 1959, the Christchurch Press reported that:

As the Malaya Emergency drags through its twelfth year, members of the RNZAF stationed in Singapore are still helping the Commonwealth effort to eliminate the remaining terrorists in the Malayan jungle. (Press, 1959)

The RNZAF continued to deliver aid to the forces on the ground throughout the final drawn out year.

The Rotorua men all returned home, some in time for Christmas in December of 1959, and the rest in early 1960. One Rotorua soldier returned with an English wife (she had been a dentist at the Kuala Lumpur military hospital) and six other soldiers married Malayan girls. (Rotorua Post, 1959).

Those who returned had harrowing stories and some with stories that have never been told.

Other New Zealand peacekeeping forces continued to be posted to Malaya between the years 1960-1964.

Indonesia/Borneo ca.1962-1966

Fighting over territory in Borneo had long been a problem for all involved, namely Britain, The Netherlands, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. In the middle of it all was the Dayaks who are the indigenous people.

Border skirmishes continued between Malaya, Indonesia, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore. The Indonesians carried out armed incursions and acts of subversion and sabotage, including bombings to destabalise the federation. Singapore experienced a series of bombing incidents which killed seven people and injured 50 others.

British and Commonwealth forces, including Australians, supported Malaysia. At stake was the future of the former British-possessed territories, Sabah and Sarawak, which bordered Indonesia's provinces on Borneo.

This new dispute was named a 'confrontation' beginning in 1963 and finally ceased on 11 August 1966 when a peace treaty was signed in Bangkok. New Zealand had not sent soldiers until 1 February 1965, after a request from the Malaysians. A limited SAS detachment and two former Royal Navy minesweepers, renamed HMNZS Hickleton and Santon, were sent to join the frigate HMNZS Taranaki patrolling the Malacca Strait.

Troops and airforce pilots were deployed, including approximately 28 Rotorua men who served in Borneo.

New Zealand's involvement in this complex area of the world was ended after the treaty was signed, the news articles on the day mention that they should be home by November 1966.

Vietnam War 1961-1975

New Zealand's involvement in the Vietnam War began in April 1962, with capital and technical assistance. In 1963 a civilian surgical team arrived in Vietnam and NZ's contribution continued in providing aid.

NZHistory.govt.nz documents the following:

The first New Zealand troops into action were the gunners of 161 Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillery. On 16 July 1965, they fired their first shells near Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). New came under renewed pressure from US President Johnson to expand its commitment in Vietnam. In 1967, NZ sent two infantry companies - V and W - from the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment in Malaysia, along with a tri-service medical team - 1st New Zealand Services Medical Team. A special SAS troop arrived the following year. (NZ History.govt.nz)

New Zealand forces were involved in artillery offensives, cordon and search patrols, intelligence gathering and reconnaissance missions.

New Zealand's commitment peaked at just over 500 troops in 1968. The last Kiwis left South Vietnam in December 1972. The last American troops left the following year. By the time the war was finally over, at the fall of Saigon in April 1975, more than three and a half million people had died. (North & South. May 2018, Issue 386, p67-81).

How this controversial war affected Rotorua residents is covered in the Rotorua Daily Post from 1965. In the Post articles are the names of the young men who enlisted and came home changed forever, and the names of those who did not return.

Anzac 2022: A Lasting Reminder?

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