Citizen Soldiers and Home Defence
1. New Zealand is Ready (extract)
National Film Unit 1941
In 1939 Adolph Hitler, the leader of the Nazi party that ruled Germany, invaded Poland. In response to this Britain, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand ( Allies) declared war on Germany. Hitler then signed treaties with Italy and Japan (Axis).
The first thing New Zealand did to help prepare for the war was to train troops in the ‘Voluntary Territorial Army’. By 1940 they had started to conscript men, which meant that able bodied men were ordered to go to war by law and were imprisoned if they refused.
At the start of the war an infantry battalion of Maori recruits were enlisted voluntarily, but Maori were not conscripted into the war.
Initially New Zealand was not very well prepared to fight off possible invasion. The army advertised for rifles, shotguns, revolvers and ammunition. Coastal defences were set up, towns practised emergency drills, pigeons were trained for communications, blackouts were enforced and tank traps were built. The Home Guard was established in 1940.
2. The New Zealand Home Front (extract)
British Ministry of Information 1943
Training the Home Guard.
3. Know the Commonwealth - Part 2 (extract)
If you were of military age and not in the army, or between 46 and 50 you had to be in Home guard. Exceptions were policemen, firemen, seamen, doctors, chemists, magistrates, judges, ministers of religion and key members of the Emergency Precautions Service ( who trained to help people with first aid after an attack). If you were disabled or sick you didn’t have to participate.
100,000 men served in the Home guard between 1940 and 1945, out of a population of 1.6 million.
In the Home guard you had to get fit, train in the weekends, learn many new skills, watch the coastline and factories and guard prisoners in internment camps.
New Zealand Women
Gender and Role 1939 -1945
4. The Years Back: The Women’s War (extracts)
National Film Unit 1973
In 1941 the RNZAF formed the Women’s Auxiliary Airforce (WAAFS) and 4,753 New Zealand women served. The Women’s Naval Reserve was established in April of 1942 and 640 ‘ Wrens’ served. The Women’ s Auxiliary Army Corps was formed in July 1942 and peaked at 4589 members in 1943.
Most of the 8,000 women who served worked with the Home guard but some went overseas to work in New Zealand forces clubs. When men began leaving the country to fight in the war, they had to be replaced by women and many were ‘manpowered’ into war jobs. People said this was a temporary measure and that women would go back to being housewives after the war.
5. Women at War (extract)
National Film Unit 1942
6. War Jobs for Women (extract)
National Film Unit 1942
‘The Land Girls’ organised by the Women’s War Service Auxiliary went to farms to help with shortages.
7. Weekly Review 138 (extract)
National Film Unit 1944
Women driving trucks in Petone in 1944 “The hand that wields the lipstick, rocks the engine”. Unions were initially hostile towards the use of women in traditionally male occupations but the absence of a third of the male personnel in essential services ices forced them to accept reality.
Yanks and Other Visitors
7. The Years Back: The Unquiet Ocean (extract)
National Film Unit
In 1941 Japan invaded Pearl harbour in Hawaii. The US joined the allied war effort.
In 1942 New Zealand made an agreement with Britain and the United States to leave our troops in the Middle East if they would send troops to protect New Zealand from Japanese invasion. 100,000 American servicemen spent time in New Zealand over the next three years.
In this footage the Deputy Prime Minister Walter Nash talks about American soldiers in New Zealand.
8. The Years Back: The Women’s War (extract)
Women talking about the American Soldiers. A number of New Zealand women became American ‘war brides’.
9. City of Health: American War Wounded in New Zealand (extracts)
National Film Unit 1944
American soldiers recuperating at the Auckland Military Hospital. Bands of women called ‘Grey ladies’ would visit the soldiers.
10. Weekly Review 169: New Zealand Soldiers and Polish children (extracts)
Polish refugees arriving in New Zealand.
Kids, family and Daily Life
School life was changed due to the war.
Trenches were dug around schools in case of raids. In some areas students had sacks that camouflaged them as they lay in trenches during drills. In Wellington it was too hilly to build trenches so students were told to hide in the bushes.
Many school buildings were taken over by the army and classes had to be continued in other locations.
11. Camouflage Nets
National Film Unit 1942
This footage shows the scouts contributing to the war effort by making nets.
12. Education strikes Back (extracts)
National Film Unit
Special Education Emergency Schemes had to be established when schools were taken over by the army.
Education teams also worked to contribute to the war effort. They folded clothes, swept parks, helped in gardens, with sewing and delivering sand; all jobs that there weren’t enough adults to complete.
13. Weekly Review 150 (extract)
National Film Unit 1944
Here Christ’s College Cadet Corps train with weapons, machinery, compass and map work and first aid which became a regular part of their education. Cadet’s continued long after the war and some didn’t disband until the 1970’s.
14. Weekly Review 174 (extract)
National Film Unit
Wellington East Girls’ Physical education class involves rhythm and freedom of movement.
15. Help in the War effort (extract)
Government Film Studios 1940
Because the war interrupted shipping many goods did not get through to New Zealand. Factories were also short of workers and producing less. A lot of food was sent overseas to help people in Britain and Americans in the Pacific. New Zealand had to introduce rationing so that the goods we did have would be more evenly distributed. Everyone over 10 years was given a small ration book with stapled sheets of coupons inside.
Sugar, butter,cream, tea, meat (including mince), fish, eggs and cheese were all rationed along with petrol. You couldn’t drive for long distances unless you had a permit!
This extract is promotional footage encouraging people not to waste petrol which was needed in the war effort.
16. The Years Back: The Women’s War (extract)
National Film Unit 1973
Here Pat Evison remembers the rationing years and a fashion expert discusses the ‘simplicity styles’ of the war. In 1942 Austerity Clothing Regulations were introduced. Manufacturers had to make simple clothes to save fabrics. They were fined if they broke these rules.
17. Weekly Review 2003 (extract)
National Film Unit 1944
As part of the shortages people were asked to switch off lights and radios in empty rooms. You had to cook as much as possible at once to save power.
Other things that were in short supply included: hospital equipment, timber, paper,electricity,rubber, corrugated iron, telephones and vegetables (people were encouraged to grow their own vegetables).
How could people save power? Using hot water every other day, heating just one room at a time, only have the lights in the rooms you are using.
18. Weekly review 175 (extract)
National Film Unit 1944
This footage is of a children’s health camp where undernourished children were sent to recuperate and grow strong.
19. Weekly Review 178 (extract)
National Film Unit 1945
This family camp in Otaki just outside of Wellington was set up so that city families could experience country life.
The War Machine:
Men, food and munitions
20. Money for War
National Film Unit 1942
This footage looks at the financial costs that the war put on New Zealand. In 1942 alone it came to an approximated 133 million pounds.
Weekly Review 87 (extract)
National Film Unit 1943
Jeep Jeep - Soldiers training with the American workhorse - the Jeep.
Weekly Review 148 (extract)
National Film Unit 1944
A couple helping feed the country by continuing to run their pig farm after they might otherwise have retired.
Know the Commonwealth - Part 2 (extract)
Crown Film Unit 194-
A look at New Zealand industry during the War years including: timber, wheat, flax, wool, butter and cheese. 30% of our national income was turned over to the war effort. This effort was significantly higher than other allied countries.
The Final Peace
In 1945 Germany surrendered and when the United States of America used Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, it forced Japan to surrender as well.
Weekly Review 194 (extract)
National Film Unit 1945
Peace in Europe. An overview of the war years.
Weekly review 208: VJ Day Celebrations (extracts)
National Film Unit 1945
Celebrations in Wellington after the Japanese surrender.