The rally continued on Saturday with afternoon tea at a local café with the delightful name “Two Fat Chefs”. We all gathered inside, sat down at the long reserved table, then heard the dreaded words. The coffee machine wasn't working. Oh no – that’s a disaster. But with a bit of perseverance the staff managed to get it going again and we sat back and enjoyed our choice of coffee, hot chocolate, or tea, and Robin enjoyed a chocolate milkshake.
Back in the cars again and just around a corner or two and we arrived at “allenpaper” Club member Stuart gave us a tour through the factory, explaining the processes and the various finished products he produces. Many thanks to Stuart and Helen for the talk and also for arranging our afternoon tea venue.
Factory tour
Arriving back at Paekakariki we went to check out the new interpretation panels which tells the history of Queen Elizabeth Park. In 1941 Japanese forces attacked Hawaii. To keep our country safe the government agreed to New Zealand becoming an American staging base, and camps had to be built immediately for the expected troops. Camp Paekakariki became an instant camp and housed over 5,000 Marines. There were three main camps, all situated in or adjacent to present-day Queen Elizabeth Park. Camp Russell housed the 2nd Infantry Regiment. Camp Mackay housed the 6th Infantry Regiment, and camp Paekakariki housed the 8th Regiment. At one stage there were over 20,000 Americans stationed in the region. The camps went up in a record six weeks, bringing monumental social change to the whole Wellington region.
The camps were used for training purposes as well as rest and recreation for those returning from the Pacific combat zone. The steep surrounding hills proved suitable terrain for marching and mortar practice, and the beaches were used to stage amphibian invasions.
History of the American Military Camps
There was a rugby test being televised on Saturday evening, the All Blacks were playing the Spring Boks. So the evening was spent in different vans, with the rugby mad men gathering in two vans who could screen the match on Sky TV. A group of ladies brought their knitting to our van, and we girls had a very pleasant evening together. Several others who couldn't care less about rugby or knitting stayed in their own vans, enjoying their own company and no doubt having an early night. And….. of course the All Blacks beat the Spring Boks very soundly!
We had our last morning tea together on Sunday morning, and the chocolate bars were handed around. Russell and Maureen deserved an extra chocolate as they were celebrating their 57th wedding anniversary – many congratulations to them both. Everyone then packed up and headed for home, except one van who decided to stay an extra night. Many thanks to all for attending, and taking part in the weekend.
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