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| National Army Museum, Waiouru |
World War 2 in New Zealand provides many examples of
what New Zealanders were doing through the war years. One good example is the
Home Guard, which was used for defence and I have come across several mentions
of family members who were involved with the group while looking through the
newspapers that are available from the Paperspast website.
New Zealand entered the Second World War in 1939 and
conscription was introduced in 1940 with the passing of the National Service
Emergency Regulations. There were grounds for people to object to conscription
along the grounds of hardship, essential employment and conscientious
objection. Men could also be sent under the guise of manpower conscription to
work in specific workplaces that were considered essential.[1] The makeup of the Home
Guard was a Dominion commander, three military district commanders and 16 area
officers appointed by the government. It was to be set to males who were over
16 years. The Home Guard’s roles sounded something similar to the Militia that
were active during the New Zealand Wars in the 1800s.[2] There was the fear of
Japan attacking New Zealand, so defending the country from a Home Guard
perspective would have been promising. The defence of home was the job of the
Home Guard. Some communities like Kohukohu in Northland, New Zealand there were
discussions about the formation of the Home Guard.[3] I have included a link to
a whole newspaper page that talks about
the various Home Guard groups in in northern New Zealand that provides an
overview.[4]
The Home Guard was established in 1940, using the
British version as an example. The Home Guard were localised to the specific
areas they lived in, while there were some who patrolled the beaches. They were
provided with training and weaponry, although many had to make do with their
own.[5] The Home guard would be
from their own districts and would be physical training and would be open to
those who were not part of the active defence force. The Home Guard was
voluntary and unpaid.[6] Those who worked in
essential industries could be exempted from service by appealing through a
panel representing their interests and of their employer. From what I have
read, the employers usually lodged appeals.[7]
Francis Gabolinscy (Frank) in 1942, was serving in the
Home Guard while working for Lovatt and Son near Whangarei. At the time Frank Gabolinscy
and Frank Sturge both appealed and their cases were adjourned when they were
transferred to the units they were part of, including Gabolinscy to the Home
Guard.[8] George F Lissington went
before the military board and his case was adjourned as he had been already
serving in the Home Guard in 1943. George was a farmer in Maungaturoto and
represented by a Mr. Lamb.[9] There are other examples
of people remaining within the Home Guard when they have been called for
military duty that can be found throughout the newspapers during World War two.[10] These are just two
examples of family members that I know of who I have come across that had
involvement within the Home Guard during World War 2.
By the end of 1943 the Home Guard in New Zealand was slowly
disbanded. Men who served six months or more were eligible for a medal for
service to New Zealand.[11
The National Army Museum in Waiouru has information about the Home Guard in their extensive library and last time I was there they had a display about the Home Guard too.
Sources / Bibligraphy
National Army Museum Waiouru https://www.armymuseum.co.nz/
Derby, Mark 'Conscription, conscientious objection and
pacifism - Conscription', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/conscription-conscientious-objection-and-pacifism/page-1,
accessed 7 January 2020.
Fryer, Arthur ‘Home Guard wielded their broomsticks
with distinction’, Taranaki Daily News, 02 October 2012, http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/features/7746612/Home-Guard-wielded-their-broomsticks-with-distinction,
accessed 07/01/2020.
McGibbon, Ian 'Second World War - Japan enters the
war', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/34574/home-guard,
accessed 7/01/2020.
Sandler, Stanley World War II in the Pacific: An Encyclopedia,
Garland Publishing, New York, 2001.
Taylor, Nancy M. The Home Front Volume 1,
Historical Publications Branch, Wellington 1986, http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1Hom-c12.html#name-024736-mention,
accessed 07/01/2020.
Unknown, ‘Don’t Panic! Northland had its own Home
Guard, aka Dad’s army, during WWII’, Northern Advocate, 7 April 2018, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/defence/news/article.cfm?c_id=32&objectid=12027615,
accessed 7/01/2020.
Unknown, ‘Home Defence’, Evening Post, 19 August 1940,
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19400819.2.14,
accessed 07/01/2020.
Unknown ‘War Work The Second World War at Home’, Ministry
for Culture and Heritage, https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/second-world-war-at-home/war-work,
accessed 07/01/2020.
Unknown, ‘Timber Workers’, Northern Advocate, 6
October 1942, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19421006.2.13,
accessed 07/01/2020.
Unknown, ‘Additional cases before appeal board’, Northern
Advocate, 13 May 1943, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19430513.2.64,
accessed 07/01/2020.
Unknown, ‘Man-power committee’, Manawatu Standard,
27 March 1942, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19420327.2.69,
accessed 07/01/2020.
Unknown, ‘Home guard at Kohukohu’, Northern
Advocate, 20 November 1940, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19401128.2.101,
accessed 08/01/2020.
Unknown,
Northern Advocate, 26 February 1941, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/northern-advocate/1941/02/26/2,
accessed 08/01/2020.
[1] Mark Derby, 'Conscription,
conscientious objection and pacifism - Conscription', Te Ara - the
Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/conscription-conscientious-objection-and-pacifism/page-1,
accessed 07/ 01/2020.
[2] Nancy
M. Taylor, The Home Front Volume 1, Historical Publications Branch,
Wellington 1986, http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1Hom-c12.html#name-024736-mention,
accessed 07/01/2020.
[3] Unknown, ‘Home guard at Kohukohu’, Northern
Advocate, 20 November 1940, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19401128.2.101,
accessed 08/01/2020.
[4] Unknown, Northern Advocate,
26 February 1941, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/northern-advocate/1941/02/26/2,
accessed 08/01/2020.
[5] Ian McGibbon, 'Second World War -
Japan enters the war', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/34574/home-guard,
accessed 7/01/2020.
[6] Unknown, ‘Home Defence’, Evening
Post, 19 August 1940, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19400819.2.14,
accessed 07/01/2020.
[7] ‘War Work The Second World War at
Home’, Ministry for Culture and Heritage, https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/second-world-war-at-home/war-work,
accessed 07/01/2020.
[8] Unknown, ‘Timber Workers’, Northern
Advocate, 6 October 1942, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19421006.2.13,
accessed 07/01/2020.
[9] Unknown, ‘Additional cases before appeal
board’, Northern Advocate, 13 May 1943, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19430513.2.64,
accessed 07/01/2020.
[10] Unknown, ‘Man-power committee’, Manawatu
Standard, 27 March 1942, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19420327.2.69,
accessed 07/01/2020.
[11] Arthur Fryer, ‘Home Guard wielded their
broomsticks with distinction’, Taranaki Daily News, 02 October 2012, http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/features/7746612/Home-Guard-wielded-their-broomsticks-with-distinction,
accessed 07/01/2020.
