Thames (NZ): 75 Years Ago - The End of WWII

Seventy-five years ago, Thamesites at home and abroad were waiting impatiently for news that the war was over. A time to welcome home men and women serving overseas, plus wanting an end to rationing and other war time restrictions.

The Thames Star 7 August 1945, reported that an Atomic Bomb had been dropped over the city of Hiroshima, Japan.

It was another week before the news finally reached Thames, the war was over!

Thames Star 15 August 1945.

Meanwhile in Italy, Signalman Doug B of Thames was dreaming of coming home and watching the Peace Cup (Rugby). Having just enjoyed a celebration day (VJ) to the lake. Soon he would learn a detour was in place and his next destination would be Japan, where he would see first hand the devastation caused by the 'bomb'

Lest We Forget

A time to stop and remember the devastation the bombs caused.

Thames (NZ): COVID-19 Update & Thames 75 Years Ago - 4 to 6 April 1945

Thames Covid-19 Introduction:
Thanks for the feedback on your 'project' progress. Several readers are taking the challenge of these lockdown weeks, and a few chapters have been written for upcoming books. Gardening and odd jobs are top of the list for others. Locally the walking numbers appear to have dropped recently, or maybe people are exploring different areas.

The local supermarket appears to be handling the numbers / restrictions, but it is near impossible to get a 'click & collect' time-slot at Pak'nSave or a delivery time for Countdown Paeroa.

Who would have believed the latest development, police are manning random roadblocks at Tararu, Kopu-Hikuai and on the Waihi-Whangamata Road. For once the message is GO HOME out-of-towners, our services can not cope with the holiday makers.

It has been confirmed that there are cases of Covid-19 in the wider district, but the Waikato District Healthboard refuse to (at this stage) to give statistics on specific area.

Our medical centres' reassure us that they are still open for 'other' illnesses, but initially all consultations are done via telephone, and medication is dispensed in monthly lots. Apart from that life continues at the Thames! While Thamesites try to keep up some level of normality to their day.

Dogs. My interesting observations on Thames dogs is that a) I didn't know there were so many, and b) Many couples have matching dogs!!!

Today has been a busy day, it was rubbish day - the anticipation of getting ones rubbish into the big recycling bin and out by 7.30am. Anyway, that has been and gone, and just to make doubly sure, yes I wore gloves to get the bin back into my 'compound' and have disinfected it just to make sure. Oh what times we live in.

Almost forgot to record the most pressing need, and preparation slip-up that I made. I didn't stock enough variety of food for my cat and he is not impressed with all I have on offer, consequently is on a hunger strike!! On this note people are amusing themselves making captions for animal pictures showing they are equally fed up with LOCKDOWN.

We await to hear what tomorrow brings.

PS. Late update. The sulking cat won! (photo right) So we had to brave leaving the 'compound'.

Wow, reality hit, as we hadn't ventured out to the mall, and only once prior to The Green Grocer. The long lines, waiting patiently, many with masks, even more with gloves, you realise just how serious the situation is and how seriously everyone is taking the restrictions. What a relief to get home, back to the bubble - no more excursions hopefully necessary!

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Thames in the Thames Star 4 to 6 April 1945:

Thames Star Newspaper April 4:

• The Silver Fern Fruit Shop was open for business, near the corner of Richmond Street, the proprietor was Mr Jack Collins.
• If you wanted a drink, there were seven hotels to choose from in the advertisements (there were none filed for the Lady Bowen or Park Hotel in Brown Street; and the Exchange Hotel or the Warwick Arms Hotel at the south end of Pollen Street. Those advertised were: The Royal (H W Tindale), Salutation (J Mahoney), Post Office Hotel (D Craigie), Junction Hotel, Twohill's Brian Boru Hotel, Cornwall Arms Hotel (J Alwinger) and the Kopu Station Hotel (Jack Smith). The Kopu Station Hotel had a catch-cry motto: "Where all good sports and Farmers foregather."
• It was going to be a busy day at Kopu on the 12th April as a Special Heifer Fair was being held with over 500 cattle already booked in. [The sale-yards were located on the north side of the road opposite the hotel.]
• Reports of good fishing just off Te Puru, a 40lb Kingfish had been caught plus snapper weighing about 12lbs.
• Thames High School 'forms' [the yearly grouping of classes], were all raising money to purchase something for the school. Such as books, pictures and other equipment, for which Principal Dorrington was most appreciative.
• On the previous GOOD FRIDAY, the Methodist Church held a sacred concert, which included Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique. Mr Sutcliffe played the cornet solo, Miss Helen Twentyman was the vocal soloist and all joined together to sing 'Abide with Me'.
• War news took up at least half a page in each edition.  Captain E J Wilton from Thames had been promoted to Major - son of Mr& Mrs E J Wilton of Moanataiari creek.

 

Thames Star 4 April 1945

 Thames Star Newspaper April 5:

• The Thames Hospital had converted the adjacent St George's Parish Hall into an isolation ward. The Hospital Board asked for calm, that there was no need to worry and that the present number of Scarlet Fever patients in the hospital were being ably managed. The hall could accommodate 30 patients - parts of New Zealand were experiencing a Scarlet Fever epidemic.
• Local pig hunters had reported good catches, including from the Mercury Bay area nine boars and three sows. The largest was 300lbs.
• The Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade held a run for the Dr Liggins' Cup.The winner was C Cameron, with A Fleming second.
• The Easter Bowling Pairs Tourney had been won by M Morrison and H Hayward of Thames.

 Thames Star Newspaper April 6:

• Church Services were advertised for St George's and St John's at Tararu; St James, Baptist Church, Church of Christ, Salvation Army and the Mission at the Oddfellow's Hall.
• The residents of Tararu had raised money for a memorial trophy in honour of Private Dallas Howe of Tararu who had been massacred by the Japanese on Tarawa Island. The cup was to be given to the Thames Sailing Club as Dallas had been a foundation member.
• Thamesites were reminded that when they travel on trains to care and respect the crockery!

• A sign the war was ending, Used Motor Trucks were to be sold on the 13th April 1945.

More to follow as the month proceeds - Kia Kaha from Thames.

Thames (NZ): 75 Years ago - 3 April 1945

No more false starts! No more excuses! Since we published the 'Gold Mine to Firing Line' in 2014, my plan was always to do something similar for World War Two in Thames. Who knows the timeframe, but I will now start, and as part of that I will share something of the life in Thames thanks to our faithful old Thames Star newspaper.

The newspaper itself was reduced in pages, just four, this had been a result of paper shortages earlier in the war years. Here are some snippets:

TORCH BATTERIES: There was a plentiful supply of batteries which were now made in New Zealand. No metal cased torches were available, only alternatives such as plastic models.

SEWING MACHINES: Only 600 were allowed to be imported into New Zealand annually, but retailers had trouble getting hold of those numbers.

PRESERVING JARS: New methods for preserving were being used in New Zealand, and as a result, local companies were making these 'new' jars.

DRESSMAKING PATTERNS: There was an overseas shortage, and the special paper unobtainable. The paper reported the good news that New Zealand would be making their own patterns using local paper.

SUPPLY OF BLANKETS: Good news, the supply of blankets to civilians was going to be possible in the near future. Meanwhile "Service requirements [were] a priority." Any returned serviceman making a request  was to have his order promptly filled.

  

The war meant ongoing shortages. Montague's lack of staff had led to limited appointments. While advertisements for products such as Lux Soap featured overseas 'stars'.

SPORTS:

A large number of columns were devoted to sports results. Perhaps swayed by the fact the previous weekend had been Easter - a time traditionally used for several major sporting events.

The Thames Bowling Club held  their annual Easter Tournament - 47 competing rinks at the start of play. [Covid-19 has caused the cancellation of this event for 2020]

The cricket teams in the region competed for the 1944-45 Court Cup - in the final match, Thames beat Hauraki. First innings details below.

In the previous edition, Thursday 29 March 1945, the results of the Thames High School running sports were given. The top event was the boys' one mile, which was won by D Campbell, with E Heberley finishing in second place.

WAR NEWS: 

Private V L Noakes of Thames, was finally reported safe in Odessa, having been a prisoner of war since 1942. (details below left)

The Hetherington name was well known in Thames, firstly because of the long established store and for the regard the Drs' by that name were held in the town. The paper reported that Temporary-Captain Owen Hetherington was honoured with an OBE. Another Thamesite who had spent years as a prisoner of war. (details below right)

On the same day that Hetherington's award was reported, there was news that the Military Cross had been conferred on Second-Lieutenant G W H R Purchas(e) of Thames. (details lower centre)

    

It is interesting to read the news at this time and try and imagine what the reality was like, what the shortages were like? What did rationing mean to your daily life? 

Who would have thought it, 75 years later we are faced with our own restrictions - not just 'blackout' but 'lockdown.' Food shortages, in many cases caused by greed.

Kia Kaha, stay strong and take inspiration from our parents and grandparents & the hardships they endured.

PS. Of anyone has photos of Thames during 1939-1945 please can you let me know.