Airfields and Stations in New Zealand Used By the RNZAF, Part 24

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Mangaroa
Opened 42

Closed Jul 49

Units known to have been Stationed there

No 2 Stores Depot 42 to Jul 49

Moved from Rongotai to service the
Stations in the lower half of the North Island

Trentham
41^14’35”S 175^03’58” E

Prior to WW 1 being declared on 4th August 1914, there was no
NZ Army, in the strict sense of the word.

There were some Imperial Officers and SNCO’s for the training of
a citizen Army on a Territorial basis.

In spite of this, the military authorities faced, undismayed, the
problems of mobilizing and dispatching 7,000 men without loss of time,
and training and sending reinforcements at regular intervals.

It is interesting to record that the first tents to be occupied by the Army
were pitched by Civilians.

The main body and the First Reinforcements sailed on 14th October 1914.

On the same day, nearly 3,000 recruits and huge quantities of camp
equipment arrived at Trentham.

The pitching of tents, under the direction of experienced men was begun,
while the issue of clothing and equipment was carried out well into
the hours of darkness.

The only buildings were those connected to the existing rifle range.

As soon as the men arrived into camp they wanted to write home and a
Marquee tent was erected for the NZ Post Office to carry out their services.

Until March 1915 there were no new buildings erected, the Public Works
Department began erecting the huts according to the Army plan.

There were 8,000 men under canvas before the huts slowly became available

In the Second WW the camp was used for initial ground training

Hutt

Opened Jul 1939

Closed Sep 1940

Nearest town Lower Hutt

Also known as Woburn, a Railways Training School

The expansion of the RNZAF immediately before the War was so rapid the
Technical Training School at Hobsonville could not cope with the numbers.

A scheme was instituted where a number of airmen would be trained at the
Railway Workshops at Otahuhu, Hutt, Addington [Christchurch] and Hillside[Dunedin].

The original plan was to give further training in Air Force trades on the completion of their
Railways training, They were then posted to the Reserve and would be called up in the event of war.

Centers were opened at the four Railway Workshops, the first being at Hutt.

By September 1940 increased facility's for Technical Training within the RNZAF made it
possible to close these schools.

During the period of operation they trained 595 Flight Riggers and Flight Mechanics

Units known to have been Stationed there

No 2 Technical Training Centre
For Fitters and Riggers

Wellington

The RNZAF Headquarters Building was in Stout Street, due to the number of people
required to man the HQ several Hotels, Boarding Homes and Residences were taken
over as accommodation.

These included the Bristol Hotel in Cuba Street, and the former residence of a past
Prime Minister, Richard Sneddon, in Molesworth Street.

Both of these were made into Women’s Air Force barracks, the girls who lived in
Molesworth Street also ate at the Bristol.

The Bristol remains but the Molesworth building was removed to make room tor
the Anglican Cathedral.

Another accommodation venue was the former US camp at Anderson’s Park.

This was a collection of purpose built buildings of the lowest grade of accommodation.

Units known to have been Stationed there

RNZAF HQ

No 2 Personnel Dispatch Center

Accommodation Camp at Anderson’s Park

Rongotai

[ex Ohakea Museum]

Opened as a Civil airfield 1938

Opened as a RNZAF Station Jul 40

Closed as a RNZAF Station 1945

Units known to have been Stationed there

De Havilland Factory 20 Sep 39 to
Manufacturing De Havilland Tiger Moths DH82A,
Manufacture of Airspeed Oxford parts

No 2 Wellington Territorial Squadron Mid 38 to
Flying Blackburn Baffins.
Moved to Woodbourne to cover the vital shipping lanes in the area.

No 2 Anti-Aircraft Co-op Flight
Towing drogues for anti-aircraft gunners to practice their skills

No 2 Stores Depot 1940 to 1942
Catered for the lower North Island and South Island Units
Moved to Mangaroa after Japan entered the War.
Was siuated in part of the Centennial Exhibition Buildings

No 3 Training School 8 Jul 40 to Oct 43
After the Centennial Celebrations were over
The building was used to train Flight Mechanics, Riggers, and
Other Technical ground staff.
Formally this was done at Auckland, Christchurch,
Lower Hutt [Wellington] and Hillside [Dunedin] Railways Workshops
TTS moved to Nelson, and the School ended the war at Hobsonville

Unit 18
A maintenance unit

Unit 39
A Maintenance and aircraft assembly unit

No 42 T [Transport] Squadron Dec 42 to

No 61 Radar Squadron

No 488 [NZ] Squadron Sep 41 to Oct 41
Prior to being posted to Singapore

Aircrew Initial Training School 1942 to
For Plots, Air Observers and Air Gunners,
These were initially trained in the NZ Centennial
Exhibition Buildings while the Centennial was going on,
Seeing that was celebrated in 1940.

Calibration Flight
Flying Airspeed Oxfords to ensure marker beacons and other
Navigational aids were working properly. Usually painted in loud colour
combinations like Yellow and Black stripes, or Red and Yellow stripes
For visibility

Communications Flight Sep 39
Grew into No 42 T Squadron

Central Trade Test Board

Contact, the RNZAF Magazine early 44 to Dec 45
Moved from Rotorua. Last published Dec 45

Initial Training School Sep 39 Oct 39
Moved to Levin when Weraroa became available

Recruitment Center Sep 1939

Commanding Officers

W/C Trevor Watts White CBE ED Jul 40 to Jan 1942

W/C G L Stedman Jan 1942 to Oct 43

W/C Alfred John Turner OBE Oct 43 to Jun 44

Shelly Bay

Opened

Closed

Was a RNZN Base, in 1907 the land was transferred to the RNZN
And during the WW2 was known as HMNZS Cook.

Units known to have been Stationed there

Catering Unit

Accommodation for RNZAF HQ Staff Apr 46 to 14th February 95
For up to 300 staff

Accommodation for Transit RNZAF Personnel Apr 46 to 14th February 95

The land and buildings were handed over to Taranaki
Whanui Ki Te Ika as part of a Treaty of Waitangi settlement

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