8-15 august 2020 EVENT PROGRAM 2 3 A brief timeline of Norfolk Island’s involvement in World War II depot for land-based aircraft travelling between Australia, New Zealand and the islands to the north. • Major General Sir Charles Rosenthal was appointed Administrator of Norfolk Island in 1937. He was a respected World War I (WWI) veteran and a strong, • By January 1942, a US regiment was on its way to Melbourne and soon forceful character. Convinced the war was imminent, he made preparations for afterwards US Captain Ronald W. Husk and a small team spent 4 days on Norfolk Norfolk Island’s involvement, including organising for the Royal Australian Air Island making a military assessment. Their work was supplemented by the first Force to plan an airstrip for the island. aerial survey of the island by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) on 26 April 1942. • On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. On 3 September 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany. This was the start of World War II (WWII). • In August 1942, the Moa Moa bought a US advance party of 14 men to the Island to select the airfield site and plan arrangements for bringing ashore the • Enlistment in both WWI & WWII was highly significant given the island’s small large amount of machinery that would be needed. population. The population of Norfolk Island was 983 in July 1939. During WWII, 280 of a possible 365 men, along with 8 women, joined the Australian and New • On 11 September 1942, the Yochow arrived, bringing 192 New South Wales Zealand forces. Department of Main Roads workers and some of the necessary machinery • On 4 September 1939, Administrator Rosenthal established the Norfolk Island • On 20 September 1942, the MV Roseville arrived from America with 4,100 tons Infantry Detachment (NIID), a unit dedicated to guarding key facilities on the of equipment. island. The NIID was demobilised on 9 March 1944. • On 9 and 14 October 1942, a 1488 personnel-strong N Force, a New Zealand • On 7 December 1941, the Japanese attacked the United States of America (US) Army company of the 36th Battalion under Lieutenant-Colonel J. W. Barry, arrived at Pearl Harbour, marking the beginning of the Pacific War. to protect and maintain the airbase. • Soon after the outbreak of war with Japan, a small Australian detachment of • By 23 December 1942, 5,000 feet of airfield matting had been laid and while 57 men was dispatched to reinforce the NIID and prevent sabotage of the cable planes had dropped stores and mail, no plane had landed yet. station that linked Australia and Canada via Fiji. • On 25 December 1942, one of three RNZAF Hudson bombers that were dropping • The US and Britain established Operational Area Plans for the Pacific which stores on the airfield made the sudden decision to land, causing excitement and included: celebration on Norfolk Island. • Australia and all islands to its north in the South West Pacific Area under US • On 29 December 1942, two Hudson aircraft made the first official landings on General D. MacArthur Norfolk Island. • NZ and all islands to its north in the South Pacific Area under US Royal Navy • Early in 1943, a Radar unit was established on Mount Bates and 200 men of Vice Admiral R L. Ghormley. This area included Norfolk Island. the RNZAF arrive under Wing Commander Coull arrived to operate the aerodrome. • Because of its unique strategic position, Vice Admiral Ghormley saw that • On 9 April 1943, N Force was replaced by New Zealand 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Island had undoubted advantages and initiated the plan to establish a Wellington-West Coast Regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel A. R. Cockerell, base for anti-submarine patrols, refuge for aircraft in distress, and a staging remaining until February 1944. 4 5 • On 11 February 1944, command passed to the officer commanding the RNZAF station at the aerodrome, and Norfolk became an RNZAF responsibility. • Nazi Germany agreed to an unconditional surrender of its armed forces on 8 Norfolk Islanders at war May 1945, known as VE (Victory in Europe) Day. It is almost impossible to imagine what it would have been like on Norfolk Island in 1899 when 5 Norfolk Islanders volunteered to fight in the Boer War. In 1914, 81 Norfolk • Japan agreed to surrender on 14 August,1945, with formal surrender Islanders put their hands up to serve in the First World War (WWI) and just 20 years later ceremonies taking place on 2 September 1945. The Pacific War officially ceased 280 Norfolk Islanders joined up to serve in the Second World War (WWII). Then the Korean on 15 August 1945, Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day War in 1950, Malaya, Vietnam and so many other campaigns of action and peacekeeping in more recent times. • By September 1945, a garrison on Norfolk Island was no longer necessary and The Pitcairn and Norfolk Island communities have always felt a strong allegiance to so on 8 December 1945, 478 members of the garrison embarked for Auckland, Britain. Today in Norfolk Island, the Islanders still commemorate Queen Victoria and her with only a small rear party remaining. government’s gift of Norfolk Island as their homeland by keeping ‘God Save the Queen’ as the national anthem. Whenever Britain had to make a call to arms, the Norfolk Islanders • The RNZAF maintained defence of Norfolk Island from February 1944, until July were eager to serve the motherland. 1948. Management of the airport was then passed to the Australian Department After generations of subsistence farming, young Norfolk Islanders also wanted to depart of Civil Aviation. Norfolk Island’s shores, explore the world, and earn a regular salary. Like many young men around the world they felt this was an opportunity for an adventure. Norfolk Island, per capita, contributed more volunteers to WWI and WWII than any other Commonwealth country of the world. This was an incredible sacrifice made by the families of Norfolk Island. During WWII many Norfolk Islanders fought throughout the Pacific against the Imperial Japanese Forces. While 8 Norfolk Islanders died in action, or as prisoners of war while fighting against the Japanese in Asia, there were no lives lost in the Pacific. Norfolk Island lost a total of 27 servicemen and we must never forget that they sacrificed their lives so that we can enjoy our freedom. We Nawa Gwen Forget Dem Sydney 1941. Former NIID personnel now serving in the Australian Military Forces Left to right. Standing: Jack Clapp, Jackie Quintal, Fred Quintal, Richard Bataille, Charlie Adams, Cam Quintal, Herb Nobbs, Phil McCoy. Sitting: Allen Christian, Roy Quintal, George Bailey, Harry LeClerc, Leo McCoy, Bill Stephensen, Jim Rossiter Lest We Forget 6 7 Troops stationed on Norfolk Island – who were they? Building the aerodrome On 23 September 1942, Lieutenant Colonel J.W Barry, Commander of 36th NZ Battalion and The airfield site was selected, and N Force, a contingent of 1488 men, sailed to Norfolk Island and landed on 26 September preliminary plans were made. In total, 1942. Norfolk Island’s population more than doubled in just three days. N Force also 171 hectares of land was compulsorily comprised the 215 Composite Anti-aircraft Battery, 152nd Heavy Battery and a mobile acquired, representing 1/8 of the field troop unit. island’s total area. The Main NZ army camp locations were: The construction crew, consisting of volunteers recruited from the New D8 Bulldozer slips off barge beside Cascade • A Company at Middlegate Road (White Wings) South Wales Department of Main Pier Roads and allied departments, sailed • B Company off Bullocks Hut Road (near Gum Forest) to Norfolk Island on the MV Yochow on 11 September 1941, along with US Army Lieutenant • C Company at Cascade Road (Cockpit) J W Doverspike, 3 officers and 10 men of a US Army medical unit. Joining them for the • D Company Collin’s Head Road, Middlegate (Ocean Breeze) journey was a substantial amount of earth-moving equipment, crushers, concrete mixers and cranes. • Heavy Anti-Aircraft (AA) camp at Headstone • Headquarters & housing: Commanding Officer & staff at the home known as ‘Devon’ Work began even before the bulk of • Air Force camp in the Red Leaf area, adjacent to the current power facility the heavy earth-moving equipment from the US arrived to clear nearby land, so that the 12 cubic yard carryall scoops could be used, and the earthworks could commence. The men were first tasked with repairing the pier slipways so that the equipment could be brought ashore. Retrieval takes 2 dozers pulling in tandem Work then began in preparation for the MV Roseville’s arrival from America, to make a third landing place at Ball Bay, in case Cascade or Kingston were unsuitable. An access track from the road to Ball Bay was widened and a track made along the waterfront at the beach. A ramp was created by concreting over boulders. This was used with skid logs to haul equipment ashore (later it was widened, and a jetty was added). On 20 September, the MV Roseville arrived from America with 4,100 tons of equipment to discharge. The matting was not able to be unloaded and the ship proceeded to Sydney. Unloading alternated between Kingston, Cascade and Ball Bay. Heavy equipment came ashore by barge, which included bulldozers, graders, trucks, a root ripper, carry-all scoops and a 23-ton diesel shovel. Air sea rescue inflatable lifeboat shed. Norfolk’s first passenger terminal. Norfolk had been in a state of ‘black-out’ but this changed with floodlighting at the airport for night earthworks, enabling the men to work two shifts.