H A U R A K I NEWS w Whaka tangata k i a kaha

May 2007 I s s u e No 47.

Enjoy a Luncheon with your friends and a visit to the Classic Flyers Museum

Jean Batton Drive M t Maunganui

Sunday 10 th June 2007

Luncheon is at 1230hrs

Optional extra Visit the Classic Flyers Museum

Pre & after luncheon drinks & merriment at the Garrison Bar

Al l welcome

RSVP Marion 576 0277

Annual General Meeting Sunday 8 t h July 2007

1100 hrs followed by a BBQ. Hauraki Museum & Garrison

Official Newsletter of the 6th Battalion (Hauraki) Regimental Association Incorporated

Compiled & Edited by Des Anderson & Penny Burgess Secretary: Mrs M Kareko, 91 Windsor Road, Tauranga

UPCOMING EVENTS 2007

May

4th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 8th Tuesday 1900 hrs Garrison Club Committee Meeting 11th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 16th Newsletter printed & posted 18th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 18th Friday 1900 hrs Hauraki Museum MOVIES 25th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Finger Food

J u n e

1st Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 8th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 10th Sunday 1200 hrs Classic Flyers Luncheon 12th Tuesday 1900 hrs Garrison Club Committee Meeting 15th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 15th Friday 1900 hrs Hauraki Museum MOVIES 22nd Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 29th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Finger Food

July

6th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 8th Sunday 1100 hrs Museum AGM 8th Sunday 1230 hrs Museum BBQ 10th Tuesday 1900 hrs Garrison Club Committee Meeting 13th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club 109th Birthday 13th Friday 1800 hrs Garrison Club Light Refreshments 14th Saturday 1800 hrs Army Hall Hauraki Regiment 20th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 20th Friday 1900 hrs Hauraki Museum MOVIES 27th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Finger Food

A u g u s t

3rd Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 10th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 14th Tuesday 1900 hrs Garrison Club Committee Meeting 16th Newsletter printed & posted 17th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 17th Friday 1900 hrs Hauraki Museum MOVIES 24th Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Nibbles 31st Friday 1600 hrs Garrison Club Finger Food

L4

C O M M I T T E E 2006/2007 | Patron:

Colonel Judge Chris McGuire

President: Des Anderson, tel. 07 571 1951 H

07 575 3150 W 0274 764 073 M

Email, des.anderson@actrix.co.nz Vice President Ted Dean tel. 07-544 4536

Fax 07-544 4737

Secretary Treasurer Marion Kareko, tel. 07-576 0277 H

07 578 8139 W

Committee: Bob Mankelow Malcolm Hinton Erik Kristensen Bruce Beckett Tony Fraser Kevin Hayden

A R E A REPS:

Auckland: Bob Mack tel. 09 4453242

Thames: Nil

Tauranga: See Committee

Matamata Doug Mc Glashen, tel. 07- 888 6314 Whakatane Jim Mc Ginty

Hamilton:

Stu Foster tel. 07-843 6121

Te Aroha: Gordon Eagleson, tel. 07-8846675

Presidents report.

Like many New Zealanders, including yourself, I attended ANZAC day. This year I attended Dawn parade at the Tauranga RSA. The Guest speaker was a young Hauraki Officer, (his address in the main body of the Hauraki News). The crowds were bigger than last year, this being the reflection throughout the country. The Younger Generation are discovering the sacrifices their relations had endured for the country. On your behalf, Bruce Beckett & I laid a wreath at the Tauranga Civic parade. The number of people at the parade was the biggest in recent years. The guest speakers were the head boy and girl from Bethlehem College. The euphoria of ANZAC day was evaporated as news filtered through of the recent meeting held in Wellington regarding the future of the Defence Force & the Hauraki in particular. In my opinion our Political Masters/Mistress are dramatically changing the role of the NZ Military. I believe the Army Navy & Air Force will be combined to form the NZDF (New Zealand Defence Force); The NZDF will become "peace force", only. A non aggressive force, a glorified Peace Corps. One of the stages to that end is the change of the Territorial Force to become the Reserve. The elimination of the TF Infantry Battalions (such as in the UK), into a Training Group. 6 t h Hauraki is absorbed into the Auckland Training group, based at the soon to be built HQ at Papakura. Arch Hill is high property value and will be sold. The HQ at Tauranga will become a recruiting depot for the NZDF, with a possible small CMA (Civil Military Affairs) group, remaining, for a few years. What is the role of the Reserve? The reserve is to support and supply personnel to the Regular force to complete their peace missions. Where do the personnel come from? The remainder of the defunct TFV, ex RF who are have reserve commitments and new recruits What can we do to prevent or delay this change to our Hauraki Regiment? Use the political system. Contact your MP, stating your opinion. Write to the Newspapers. Inform the local organisations such as the RSA to gain their support.

IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING THERE WILL NOT BE A 6 t h Hauraki Battalion

Kia Kaha

Des Anderson President

0 L

Annual General Meeting

S u n d a y 8 m July 2007

Hauraki Museum starting at 11Q0hrs

BBQ to follow with fellowship in the Hauraki Bar

Please forward your remits, executive & committee nominations to the secretary Marion Karaka, (Tel, 07 576 0277 Home or 07 575 8139 Work), seven days before the meeting.

All welcome

Letters to the Editor I

Des

A small snippet for the Hauraki magazine!

Three blokes - an Australian farmer, Osama bin Laden and an New Zealand Army engineer are all working together one day and they come across a lantern and a Genie pops out of it. "I will give each of you one wish, which is three wishes in total" says the Genie. The Australian says, "I am a farmer and my son will also farm. I want the land to be forever fertile in Australia." POOOOFF! With the blink of the Genie's eye, the land in Australia was forever fertile for farming. Osama bin Laden was amazed, so he said, "I want a wall around Afghanistan, Israel, Palestine, Iraq and Iran so that no infidels, Australians or New Zealanders can come into our precious states." POOOFF! Again, with the blink of the Genie's eye, there was a huge wall around those countries. The Kiwi Engineer says, "I am very curious. Please tell me more about this wall." The Genie explains, "Well, it's about 5000 feet high, 500 feet thick and completely surrounds the country. Nothing can get in or out; it's virtually impenetrable." The Kiwi Engineer sits down, cracks a beer, smiles and says, "Fill it with water"

Tim Edwards, CBRE Operations Supervisor, Aussie Army

The Battle of Gate Pa

This battle has significance to the Hauraki's. Of recent times I have come across some articles that may be of interest:

A touching tribute will be conducted in Tauranga next week commemorating the bravery of a Westland War Hero.

A descendant of Samuel Mitchell, a Westland VC winner, visited Hokitika and rekindled the story and coming tribute in Mr. Mitchell's memory. Joan Keller-Redding, who is a grand-daughter of the former Westland soldier, now lives in Tauranga, the resting place of a man who owed his life to Mr. Mitchell.

Commander Hayes was saved from death by an act of bravery at the battle of Gate Pa in Tauranga by Mr. Mitchell when he rescued him in the height of battle and carried him to safety on his back. Mr. Mitchell, who is buried in Ross, won the VC awarded in a ceremony in Sydney for his efforts and his medal now resides in the West Coast Historic Museum.

Mrs. Keller-Redding on her annual pilgrimage to Hokitika visited the museum and retold how the VC was won, lost and sold in England and then retraced and returned to her family.

Heirlooms from past generations of Mrs. Keller-Redding's family are also housed in the museum and Keller's hotel signage traced her father's father, who was a publican.

Article taken from West Coast Times January 1999

Citation for the Victoria Cross

MITCHELL, Samuel, (reg No. 878). Captain of the Foretop. Royal Navy. London Gazetted on 23rd July, 1864. Born on the 8th September 1841 at Apsley Guise, Woburn, Bedfordshire. Drowned on 16th March, 1894 in the Mikonui River, New Zealand. Memorial on grave on a hillside near Ross, New Zealand.

Digest of Citation reads: Captain of the Foretop, Samuel Mitchell, ofHMS Harrier, at the time acting as the Captain's coxswain, during the attack at Gate Pa, Te Papa, Tauranga, New Zealand, entered the Pa with Commander Hay. When his officer was wounded, he defied the order to leave him behind and save himself, and carried him to safety.

Additional information: The son of a labourer, Samuel Mitchell joined the Navy as a boy in August 1857. After a gunnery course at HMS Excellent he joined HMS Harrier when she was commissioned at Portsmouth in August 1860. After his discharge from the Navy in 1866 he returned to New Zealand. His sea-chest and other belongings, including his Victoria Cross, were lost in Sydney. Having settled down a Hokitika, New Zealand, he married Agnes Ross in 1869. She bore him three sons and seven daughters. His Victoria Cross turned up and was

sold on 20th November 1908 for £50. His family managed to regain the Cross in 1928.

A coincidence, (Recorded in John Winton's, "the Victoria Cross at Sea,") tells of how his body was found by a Mr Green, who had, in fact, also been present at the attack on the Gate Pa while serving aboard HMS Eclipse.

Taken from the Official Records. Found by Trevor Archer

The battle of Gate Pa was of the most significant events in the history of Tauranga Moana. Yet there is little to mark the 1864 battle, when outnumbered Maori forces infected an embarrassing defeat on the British. Local Maori are determined to change that trough, starting this weekend. A small memorial at the top of the hill close to St George's Church on Cameron Road is all that marks the reserve as the site of the battle.

We want to lift the profile and do that by having the whole park as a memorial- open it up and make it more accessible, rather than the memorial that you see when you walk to the top of the hill said Peri Kohu. This weekend we will erect a waharoa (gate) at the Cameron Road frontage. The unveiling will be at dawn on Sunday the 143 r d anniversary of the battle. There are also longer term plans to create a walkway, with interpretation signs telling the story of the battle. Two marae, referring in this case to a gathering space with arrangements for seating for 20-30 people, are planned

Article taken from the Bay News April 25 2007

To read more about the Battle of Gate Pa, see "Comrades Brave", A History of the Hauraki Regiment. If you don't have a copy it can be ordered from the Hauraki UPF, Bob Mankelow or brought at the Hauraki Bar. There is a hard copy or a soft copy edition.

The Museum

Kevin Hayden has donated a US Marine dress sword, which has been added to the "Redeye Collection"

Marian has been busy placing historical photos & documents onto CD/DVD. Your committee has also had videos & photos placed onto DVD. If you have some photos or videos you would allow the committee to place onto DVD, please contact me so I can arrange. We are using a professional person for this task; your photos or videos will not be damage and will be return ASAP.

The Library, Books & Videos

Books, DVDs & videos have been donated to the Association. They are now in the new book case in the bar area. The books & video can be loaned out. Just sign in the book and please return when finished. Marian has completed cataloguing the 58 x videos & 8 x DVDs. Marian have nearly completed the task of cataloguing the books. If you would like to donate any videos, DVDs or books, please contact a committee member.

Proud to be a Hauraki. The catch call your committee has adopted to publicise the 110 t h birthday of the Hauraki Regiment in 2008. More on that as we develop the activities.

Garrison Club

The Garrison Club depends up volunteers to operate. The Bar managers are Bob Mankelow, Marion Kareko, Hugh Bomford, Kevin Hayden & Des Anderson.

The Garrison Club without a doubt has the lowest prices around. We believe that we are not there to make a large profit, but for the comradeship within the Hauraki family & friends.

All the profits from the Garrison are returned to the users.

With happy bar staff, cheap prices and a friendly atmosphere: all that is needed to complete the equation is YOU. The Garrison is open on Friday from 1600hrs.

See you there.

Welfare

To assist with compiling a notification list so you may wish to attend the "Last Post" of a fellow member or a "Hauraki", please forward your email your address to me. My system is a little out of date, 2002. Everyone seems to change email addresses on a regular basis. My email address is des.anderson@actrix.co.nz. Unfortunately we have missed notifying members in the past. A problem we have also experienced is being advised of the passing of a Member or a Hauraki in a timely manner. Please advise if you have information relating to any Members/Hauraki passing.

Social Stories

Thanks Des you may like to add congratulations to Paul Bayley somewhere as well he has just been promoted to Colonel and appointed CO ANR

Social Events

Mark your calendar: Below are the social events your committee has planned for your enjoyment & comradeship.

Sunday 10 t h June 2007

Buffet at the CLASSIC FLYERS, 8 Jean Batten Drive, Tauranga Airport, Mount Maunganui.

Buffet & Bar is upstairs from the Cafe.

Cost $25.00 per person. Tour of the Museum (optional) $5.00 per person, (normal price is $10.00)

The Garrison will open at 1100hrs for pre Luncheon drinks & get together.

Assemble at Classic Flyers at 1200hrs for a 1230hrs Buffet. This NOT a BYO, a drinks bar will be open, Pay your own.

Or go directly to the CLASSIC FLYERS at the Airport, at 1200hrs for a 1230hrs Start

Movies at the Garrison

The third Friday of the month. Remember show starts at 7pm sharp. Bring a mate. Gold coin donation goes to the Hauraki Museum

The following is the movie schedule for the year:-

18th May Heartbreak Ridge Stars Clint Eastwood Rated M

Runtime 128 mins

15th June Good Morning Vietnam

Stars Robin Williams

Rated M Runtime 116 mins

20th July The Light Horseman Is about Australian cavalry in 1917 in Palestine Runtime 131 mins

17th August The Thin Red Line Stars George Clooney, Nick Nolte, Woody Harrelson and Sean Penn Rated M Runtime 164 mins

21st September Apocalypse Now Stars Martin Sheen and Marlon Brando Rated R16 Runtime 147 mins

Start time is 7pm. We take a collection at each show which goes to the Hauraki Museum. We had some good turnouts for 2006 - let's see if we can get some bigger ones in 2007.

Membership

In the quest for new members I have "locked on" Trade Me Old Friends.

From that organisation I have gained a few new members & a few comments.

It would appear the Hauraki's are spread all over the world. But one thing they have in common they are "Proud to be a Hauraki".

Some of the comments and letters:

Dear Des, Thank you very much for sending the "news" .It is interesting to hear after all these years ('92 ). Do they still have a Med Platoon? I noticed some years ago, on a trip home, that they had "commandeered the Med Platoon room for some other purpose. I have been overseas since '92, but when I'm home next, perhaps I could drop by for a look around the establishment. I doubt anyone from my era is still active though.

Yours faithfully, Steve Chambers Cpl. ( ex )

Des

Thanks for the Newsletter. It is good to read about what is now history. I will be back in Tauranga from the 13th-30 May to do some work on the house and for a family wedding. I have found the news clippings that I was looking for last time I was home so I will bring them with me to give to the museum. I don't have anything at this stage to put in the news letter but I will work on something for the next edition. Looking forward to catching up again.

Tim

Hello Des

Here are two of the photos taken while I was home last month. I'm sorry I was unable to stay the last Friday night. Annette was not in the best of health and is still recovering. It was great catching up with you and the others again after so long, I will have to make the effort and do it again sometime soon. I still have to get the big Support Company photo copied and mounted for you or the

museum. Hopefully that will be done soon The NZ cricket team is not doing too well at the moment, at least we are better at Rugby than Cricket. Take care,

Regards Tim

Thanx, Des.

Although I only served for just over a year before going RF, I've always classed myself as a "Hau". I remember you as the Recon Sgt before lleft. I'm definitely joining the association and when/if it get out of RF i will join up with 6 Hau again. Thanx. Skin

Hi Des, Thanks for the message and what a shock to hear about Redeye!!! Kym and I didn't even know (that's what you get for missing meetings I suppose!!). He was a good, hard case mate and will be surely missed by us all. Hope all is well with you and we will see you at the bar soon.

Cheers Ed Mackie

Hi Des, how's it going, sorry last reply was so short but it was done at about midnight. In answer to your question I'm married and living up Rangiuru road in Te Puke. Work wise I'm working on an orchard doing maintenance work and just the odd bit of construction diving now. I've done a fair bit of work for Sanford's down Stewart Island on the salmon farm down there. We've got a wee farm up here (about 70 acres) so in my spare time I'm kept busy with fencing etc... Well that's about it for me ,need an early night, off to Christchurch for 1 weeks work and driving down about 4.30a.m in the morning Let me know what you've been up to and I'll try to get to the garrison club or a movie night when I'm in the area

All the best Scottie

Kia-Ora Des, I'm replying to an e-mail as per Old Friends, Yes I would like to receive

the Hauraki News and catch up on what's being happening at 6th Bat Hauraki's. Since I left Charlie Company Tokoroa in 1991,1 have missed the great camaraderie and friends being associated with 6 Hauraki, made contact with Lance Kerr up in Old while I've been here in Australia 1994.

Dear Des, thank you very much for sending me info re the Btn Assn.

I am currently serving on the UN mission to Sudan, and will return home on leave to Auckland in May. I will post the application form then.

I am currently about to go on a training mission to a region close to the border with Chad to a region called Darfur, and will print off the news letters you sent and will be able to have a good read.

I was in the Btn for three years (85-87) prior to joining the NZ Police, reaching the dizzi ranks of L/Cpl in the medical section.

Thank you very much for taking the time to drop me a line- appreciated.

Yours, Craig

ps...picture attached is taken at UNHQ in Khartoum after training Rwandan QRF force....Im the one in the middle

Des,

Some photo's I have. This would be '95 or '96.

cheers

Hi,

I am running a church down here. My trips to Vietnam are mission trips. My brother works in Thailand has been there for 11 years. I love the Thai people and their language. Very respectful people and soft language. You sure sound busy !! Keep in touch any time

Bruce

Hi Des Many thanks for taking the trouble to send me this Great read and yes indeed....! am still proud to be a Hauraki Despite still being a serving member, just, of 5WWCT I look forward to catching up with you all sometime on one of my trips up to see my Dad who has retired to Maketu

Kind regards. Bruce

Hauraki,s awaiting to board a flight

Dear Des,

Thank you very much for sending me info.re the Bn Assn.

I am currently serving on the UN mission to Sudan, and will return home on leave to Auckland in May. I will post the application form then.

I am currently about to go on a training mission to a region close to the border with Chad to a region called Darfur, and will print off the news letters you sent and will be able to have a good read.

I was in the Btn for three years (85-87) prior to joining the NZ Police, reaching the dizzy ranks of L/Cpl in the medical section.

Thank you very much for taking the time to drop me a line- appreciated,

yours, Craig

ps...Picture attached is taken at UNHQ in Khartoum after training Rwandan QRF force....I'm the one in the middle

News from the Regiment

Operaration Standard BOSNIA

Hauraki Officer on Tourl

6 Hau PRO Captain Russell Skeet is now halfway through his "Op Standard" deployment in Bosnia, having deployed on 23 January 07. Russell deployed with Major Michael Brown and Capt Phil Wood. He was posted to the Banja Luka Metal Factory (BLMF) in Banja Luka. New Zealand has had three staff officers at BLMF for some time, while a team of eight (from the artillery) are deployed at the Liaison Observation Team (LOT) house in Prijedor. The Prijedor team left the mission in early April closing New Zealands association with the Prijedor LOT house. Russell worked as the 2IC of the LOT sector headquarters (SHQ), being responsible for operational matters relating to the five houses in the AOR and for 'reporting' to LOT HQ. Of particular importance is the processing to the information that houses collect to provide 'situational awareness* in the AOR. The information is assembled into the daily situation report (DSR) that is forwarded to the information analysis division (IAD) at EUFOR HQ in Butmir camp in Sarajevo. The SHQ was manned by Welsh Guards so Russell has had the experience of acquiring the ability to understand

English as spoken by Welshmen. ? i iL •

On the 17th March the SHQ closed down as part of the implementation of the EUFOR transition. Because the are is a "safe and secure environment" the EUFOR force is reducing from 6,000 to approx. 2,500 and the withdrawal of the Welsh Guards battle group and closure of the SHQ are part of the force reduction resulting from transition.

After some work by the senior national officer (SNO) Maj Michael Brown, Russell was transferred to EUFOR HQ at Butmir to work in IAD as a LOT desk analyst. Thus Russell is the first Kiwi to work at EUFOR HQ. This has not been without some difficulty as Russell's move to Sarajevo revealed some difficulties relating to the Kiwi's security clearance issued by the NZ Ministry of Defence. The LOT desk team is commanded by a Dutch navy Commander and has analysts from Spain, Turkey and Finland. The CO and the MA of the IAD (within which LOT operates) are French, the OpsO is Norwegian and there are several multinational civilians that make up part of the diverse team that is the IAD. Russell's End of Tour is 23 July.

KIWIS attend ANZAC DAY

Four KIWIS and two UK personnel attended an informal ANZAC Day ceremony at UDINE (near Trieste) in Italy. Captain Russell Skeet was amongst the party that travelled for seven hours from Banja Luka through Croatia and Slovenia into Italy to Udine on the 24th April for a small informal ANZAC Day commemoration on 25 April. The Commonwealth War Graves cemetery at Udine contains the graves of 414 Commonwealth service personnel including 41 New Zealanders. In an informal ceremony at dawn on the 25th, poppies were laid, the ode was recited, words of remembrance uttered and a nip of rum taken by the six people present in the beautiful setting of the Udine cemetery. After a walk around the small cemetery the party returned to the motel for breakfast before commencing the journey back to Banja Luka, via Trieste. The party stopped at Trieste for a hour or so and discussed

the NZers final action of the war in entering the city occupied by the Germans (and ;

Tito's forces) on 2 May 1945. Arriving back at BLMF the party was in time to attend a dinner hosted by COMBRITFOR Brigadier Chris Murray to mark the impending closure of the BLMF Officer's Mess. The dinner was a fitting conclusionto a

strenuous two days marking the 2007 ANZAC DAY.

Operaration Rata

SOLOMON ISLANDS

Over the last few weeks I have farewelled soldiers from ANR the 6 Hauraki Battalion Group on there way to the Solomon Islands. I was struck by the enthusiasm of the people to do the right thing. A couple of observations: the wiliness of the Territorial Force soldiers to learn and do the right thing was highly evident. I felt humble when one character noted that they had to step up to the mark to show the Regular Force they were good enough. To the credit of all, there were no issues with assimilation and they were welcomed by their fellow contingent members because of the skill sets they brought with them.

Col Lofty Hayward Cmdr2LFG

Taken from the Army News April 2007

The following Hauraki's have been deployed to the Solomon Islands

Matt Hastings

Matiu Nuku

Shaun Hansen

Shayne White

Stuat Mac Millian

Cameron Till

Teejay Samuel

Morgan Meyers.

On 2 April 2007 a huge earthquake rocked the Solomon Islands, creating a tsunami that flooded areas along the Gizo coast. A contingent of 43 NZ regular and territorial force soldiers are involved in RAMSI (Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands) who have been involved in the relief effect, along with NZDF personnel flown in for the purpose of providing emergency supplies.

Taken from the Army News April 2007

Warrant Officers & Sergeant Mess.

A reminder to all associate members, the mess fees of $30.00 are now due. Please forward to the Treasurer, Warrant Officers & Sergeants Mess, 6 Hauraki Battalion Group, PO Box 2146, Tauranga. If you are not an associate member, but qualify, and wish to become an associate member, please send your request to the PMC, using the above address.

I am unsure about associate members of the Officers Mess - Ed

u

6 Battalion (Hauraki) Association Incorporated Application Form

New Membership Renewal Membership Full Associate

Regimental Number Date of birth

Full Name

Partners name (if applicable)

Full Postal Address

Telephone Number (home) Business Mobile Email

Brief resume of service with 6 Hauraki (Include dates & appointments

Highest Rank Held

Service in other Units

(If Associate member - your association to 6 Hauraki Assoc.)

OFFICE USE ONLY

Date Joined Receipt Number Membership Number

This information is collected for the purpose of the 6 Battalion (Hauraki) Regimental Association Incorporated and is strictly Confidential. It will not be supplied to any other person or organisation in compliance with the Privacy Act.

Post Subscription to Secretary M Kareko 91 Windsor Road Tauranga

Suscription Rate New Member $20.00 Renewal $15.00 Perpetual Member $150.00 Service Member $10.00

T.J. Archer P O Box 2217 Tauranga