NZHistory.net Multi-Media Index

91kb (requires (free) VRML player plug-in - version 4+ browsers should already have this, otherwise it is free to download a player such as Cosmo

Thanks to the wonders of VRML, you can loop the loop in Richard Pearse's first flying machine.

Oral histories from D-Day exhibition

• Maurice Mayston describes flying from England towards the Normandy coast on the morning of D-Day. Hear this sound file (mp3, 249k). Transcript and more info.
• 485 Squadron in action. Maurice describes the skies over Normandy on the afternoon of D-Day � and the shooting down of the German bombers. Hear this sound file (mp3, 662k). Transcript and more info.
• O'Brien Reeve relates how he and his friends prepared for their service in France. Hear this sound file (mp3, 108k). Transcript and more info.
• Top secret operation. As an Officer, O'Brien Reeve got 48 hours notice of the D-Day landing and knew the American troops he was transporting were heading for Omaha Beach. But details about the landing were highly secret � and for everyone it was a waiting game. Hear this sound file (mp3, 358k). Transcript and more info.
• Carnage at Omaha Beach. The Allies had not expected Omaha Beach to be as heavily defended as it was, and casualties were very high. Thousands were killed there on D-Day and O'Brien Reeve remembers the scene vividly. Hear this sound file (mp3, 229k). Transcript and more info.
• French Friends. After landing on the Normandy coast, O'Brien Reeve and his fellow officers were based in villages and got to know some local people. Hear this sound file (mp3, 430k). Transcript and more info.

Oral histories from Italian Campaign exhibition

• Joseph Pedersen speaking about his time at Sicily (mp3, 227k). Transcript and more info.
• Gordon Johnston discussing conditions at the Sangro River near Orsogna (mp3, 254k). Transcript and more info.
• Joseph Bacos speaking about his time at Orsogna (mp3, 331k). Transcript and more info.
• Reg Minter discussing his experiences at Cassino (mp3, 922kb). Transcript and more info.
• Reg Minter discussing his experiences at Faenza (mp3, 1.15mb). Transcript and more info.
• Reg Minter discussing his experiences at Trieste (mp3, 439k). Transcript and more info.

Oral histories from NZ Prisoners of War exhibition

• Bill Flint describes being captured and how he felt - [Realplayer (603kb); MP3 (863kb) - Text transcript of this file ].
  Bill Flint interview, 05.02.02, side 4
• William Duncan describes the food available at his camp - [Realplayer (232kb); MP3 (331kb) - Text transcript of this file.]
  William Duncan interview, 08.02.02, side 4
• George Trundle describes how POWs kept themselves entertained - [Realplayer (366kb); MP3 (256kb) - Text transcript of this files ]
  George Trundle interview, 08.02.02, side 5
• John Parfitt describes the use of 'blowers' (camp ovens) - [Realplayer (467kb); MP3 (667kb) - Text transcript of this file]
  John Partiff interview, 31.01.02, side 4
• Peter Howden describes how secret radios were used in the camp - [Realplayer (252kb); MP3 (359kb) - Text transcript of this file]
  Peter Howden interview, 22.02.02, side 2
• Wes Jack was a reporter on the 'Tiki Times', a POW camp newspaper. Here he describes how it was put together and how it survived the war - [Realplayer (424kb); MP3 (620kb) - Text transcript of this file]
  Wes Jack interview, 05.03.02, side 5
• Arthur Cowan describes a South African POW being shot for disobeying the orders of their guards during his forced march - [Realplayer (319kb); MP3 (454kb) - Text transcript of this file ]
  Arthur Cowan interview, 13.02.02, side 5
• George Trundle describes his forced march across Germany - [ Realplayer version (595kb); MP3 version (813kb) - Transcript of interview
  George Trundle interview, 8.2.02, side 5.
  
• Wes Jack describes seeing contentration camp corpses and sharing a shower with large women in the final stages of his journey to Odessa - [Realplayer (470kb); MP3 (601kb) - Text transcript of this file
• Here he describes seeing the British rescue ship off the coast of Odessa and sings the song he and his fellow POWs sang at this emotional time - [Realplayer (191kb); MP3 (273kb) - Text transcript of this file
• Wes Jack interview, 05.03.02, side 4
• Eric Osboldstone describes the malnutrition and death that surrounded him in a Japanese POW camp in Burma - [Realplayer (319kb); MP3 (456kb) - Text transcript of this file]
  Eric Osboldstone interview, 04.03.02, side 5

Radio files from US Forces in New Zealand

Girls of the Silver Dollar'

An interview with Nurse Margaret Macnab who was given the job of visiting Wellington's brothels and serving notices on girls suspected of carrying 'social diseases' during the time of the American invasion. Interviewer: Jack Perkins.

• Clip one: US marines and the need to check for venereal diseases - 4m 54s [Realplayer (603kb); MP3 (860kb);]
• Clip two: the brothels in Wellington - 2 m 17s [Realplayer (283kb); MP3 (486kb)]
• Clip three: visiting a prostitute in desperate conditions - 1m 59s [Realplayer (246kb); MP3 (352kb)]
• Text transcript of these files

Ref: Spectrum 543, CDR737, Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero

'The Homefront War'

Ena Ryan talks to Jack Perkins about wartime Wellington of the 1940s.

• Clip one: the arrival of the marines - 2m 31s [Realplayer (311kb); MP3 (421kb)]
• Clip two: meeting troops marching and lack of local support - 2m 23s [Realplayer (295kb); MP3 (421kb)]
• Clip three: Military Police and Sydney prostitutes - 2m 35s [Realplayer (364kb); MP3 (521kb)]
• Text transcript of these files

Ref: Spectrum 534, CDR735, Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero

'The War Brides'

Roy Murphy talks to New Zealanders who married American servicemen at a reunion in New York. Produced by Alwyn Owens.

• Clip one: meeting US servicemen; going to dances - 2m 35s [Realplayer (319kb); MP3 (455kb)]
• Clip two: condition of servicemen returning from duty; meeting future husband - 2m 31s [Realplayer (311kb); MP3 (443kb)]
• Clip three: the journey to the US - 3m 48s [Realplayer (469kb); MP3 (671kb)]
• Text transcript of these files

Ref: Spectrum 572, CDR604, Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero

'Marines Reunion in New Zealand'

Peter Aranyi reports from a reunion of former US marines who spent time in NZ during World War Two, the marines calling New Zealand 'the heaven they came to on their way to hell'.

• Clip: Marines reunion - 1.48 total [Realplayer (230kb); MP3 (328kb)]
• Text transcript of this file

Ref: Morning report, C88021E, Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero

� Copyright Radio New Zealand. All rights reserved. Permission of Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero, Christchurch, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of these radio recordings.

Radio files from: The Royal Visit, 1953-54

• Dunedin school girl remembers the Queen's visit (193k) [read transcript of this file ]
• Description of Queen arriving in Queen Street, Auckland (223k) [ transcript ]
• Queen's speech, 23 December 1953 (160k) [ transcript ]
• Maori welcome the Queen (174k) [ transcript ]
• Sounds of enthusiasm in various towns (154k) [ transcript ]
• Description of opening of Parliament by the Queen (158k) [ transcript ]
• Nelson child presents bouquet to Queen (189k) [ transcript ]
• Welcome in Christchurch (225k) [ transcript ]

Radio recordings from a documentary made a year after the Queen's arrival in New Zealand, 'Royal Visit Highlights 1953-54', ref D 548/3-5.
Provided by Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero,
Copyright © Radio New Zealand

Radio files from: Notes for My Successor: Tips for New Governors-General

Talk by Lady Newall, 1946

• Part One: Wartime experiences (515k)
  

  [ transcript of Lady Newall's talk Part One ]

• Part Two: General praise for New Zealand (264k)
  

  [ transcript of Lady Newall's talk Part Two ]

Sound Archives Ref D659

Lord Bledisloe speaking on his 90th birthday (215k)

[ transcript of Bledisloe's speech]

Sound Archives Ref D699

� Copyright Radio New Zealand. All rights reserved. Permission of Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero, Christchurch, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of these radio recordings.

Radio broadcasts from: No Pavlova Please: Images of Food and Drink in Twentieth Century New Zealand.

More Aunt Daisy:
Cornflour Blancmange recipe (523kb)

'...of course, as everybody knows, the foundation of the nation is the family...'

'Luncheon used to be such a dignified affair...'

[but now]

'..it's a mad rush to beat the man with a plate of sandwiches in one hand and two cream cakes in the other, to scramble into the one vacant seat about nine inches square and order "double toasted ham and can I have my coffee now please?"'

'Of course the summit, the crowning glory of the vast mountain of luncheon delicacies must, without doubt, be The Pie.'

� Copyright Radio New Zealand. All rights reserved. Permission of Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero, Christchurch, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of these radio recordings.
Refs: TX2858 (Beetroot Chutney); DCDR36 (Blancmange); D6330 (fast lunches).

Oral history interview from: Radiant Living: The School of Radiant Living in New Zealand (1938-1989).

These sound files are taken from an interview with Herbert Sutcliffe, founder of the Radiant Living movement, shortly before his death in 1971. The details of the interviewer and the exact date of the interview are unknown. The full interview was apparently never broadcast publicly.

Note you will need to turn up your volume control for these clips.

'Radiant Living is ... a science and a philosphy'

Clip 2 - (221kb) Sutcliffe talks about the purpose of their settlement, Peloha (Peace, Love, Harmony)

Clip 3 - (191kb) More on Peloha, including a description of the property

'...through meditation this was the name that came. Peace, Love and Harmony were subjects that I've often spoken on....PE for peace, LO for love, HA for harmony, put those together and you have the name of the Mecca for Radiant Living, PELOHA.'

'We clense the body by special elimination ....We don't make a practice of curing anything. We believe that nature cures: we do what we can to assist nature.'

Songs from: New Zealand's Participation in the South African ('Boer') War 1899-1902.

Performed by Shirley and Nigel Williams. (These are MP3 files)

The Boers Have Got My Daddy (416kb)
Written and composed by Mills and Castling
Voice: Shirley Williams; Piano: Nigel Williams.

Boys of the Southern Cross (168kb)
Words by C. Clarke-Irons, music by Allan White
Voice: Nigel Williams; Piano: Shirley Williams

Sons and Colonies (379kb)
Words and Music by W. E. Whiteley
Voice: Shirley Williams; Piano: Nigel Williams.

Interviews from: Long Journey for Sevenpence: Assisted Immigration to NZ from the UK 1947-1975.

Vera Donoghue (169kb)
Interviewed by Megan Hutching
5 Apr 1996, side 3

Interviews are held at:
Oral History Centre
Alexander Turnbull Library

________________________________________

________________________________________

Radio broadcasts from the Anzac Day exhibition.

'Dawn Service' 1956 (11 minutes, 1.3 mb)
From St Faith's Church, Ohinemutu. Includes prayers and hymns sung in Maori and English and a playing of The Last Post (extract 1:44, 270k).
Ref D619.1
Sound Archives

'Today in New Zealand History. April 25: The Spirit of ANZAC' n.d. (4m11s, 516k).
A history of Anzac Day which describes the events of 25 April 1915. 'Something special and enduring was born when Australians and New Zealanders fought together on Gallipoli'.
Ref D2410
Sound Archives

Today in New Zealand History. December 19: The Evacuation of ANZAC n.d. (4'30s, 554k)
'Then a new enemy appeared, General Winter. Rain and cold added to the hardships of the men in the line and sent up casualties with a bound. Men were actually drowned in the trenches.'

'As men were taken away, a show of landing others was made and guns fired on the Turkish positions....On that last night, December the19th, there was intense excitement - would the bluff come off? It did. Rifles were left in the trenches, fitted with devices to fire them later so that the enemy would suppose that the trenches were still manned. Through the night the rear guard slipped away and by the dawn of the 20th the operation was complete and was done without a casualty.'

'They put into the evacuation qualities they had put into fighting and it was a brilliant success.'

Ref D 2470
Sound Archives

� Copyright Radio New Zealand. All rights reserved. Permission of Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero, Christchurch, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of these radio recordings.

________________________________________

Sound files from the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition 1939-40 exhibition

Tour of the Exhibition
Introduction (1:50; 188k)
Interview with Charles Hainsworth, manager of the exhibition (3:20; 413k)
Interview with W.T. Trethewey, sculptor (4:51; 599k)

Ref:D171.7: Sound Archives

Transcript of Tour of the Exhibition files

*****

Speech by Prime Minister M.J. Savage (2:26; 301k)

Ref: D4755, Sound Archives

This speech would have been given during Savage's visit to the exhibition in November 1939. He was suffering from cancer of the colon and sounds very tired. It would have been one of his last public speeches; he died four months later.

Transcript of Savage's speech

*****

Speech by Governor General Lord Galway
These extracts are taken from a 20 minute speech at the opening. The quality is not great, but it is quite intelligible.
Introduction (47secs; 99k)
'Best of British Stock' (33 secs; 70k)
About the Exhibition (2:03; 254k)
More on the Exhbition (2:06; 260k)

Ref: D171.3, Sound Archives

Transcript of the Governor General's speech

� Copyright Radio New Zealand. All rights reserved. Permission of Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero, Christchurch, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of these radio recordings.

________________________________________

Tangiwai Railway Disaster - radio broadcasts (mp3 files)

• Prime Minister Sidney Holland's Christmas Day Announcement (7m 47s - 1.3mb)
  From Waiouru Military Camp. Note Holland was talking by phone line to Wellington, where the recording was made to disc for broadcast later. The occassional humming noise is probably from other telephone traffic causing the Holland signal to 'drop off' the line.
  D355.4
  Transcript of this broadcast
• Lionel Sceats talks about the disaster (2m 44s - 483k)
  D355.1
  Transcript of this broadcast
• Mr W.J. Anderson, a survivor, describes his experience (2m 23s - 392k)
  D355.2
  Transcript of this broadcast
• Interview with a local witness (4m 13s - 774k)
  D355.2
  Transcript of this broadcast

� Copyright Radio New Zealand. All rights reserved. Permission of Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero, Christchurch, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of these radio recordings.

________________________________________

We Never Had It So Good? Thematic Essays from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Volume 5, 1941-1960

Protest and Dissent

From 'Interview with Pacifist, Archie Barrington'. (3 September 1979)
Total time of original: 44min 06sec.
Sound Archives Tx1735

• Formation and early years of the Christian Pacifist Society (237k — 1min 59sec) Transcript of Barrington interview track one
• Protest and Arrest (456 — 3min 42sec) Transcript of Barrington interview track two
• Prison Life (133k — 1min 3sec) Transcript of Barrington interview track three

Extracts from '"Dispute" an account of the the 1951 waterfront conflict'. (1968)
Narrated by Dougal Stevenson, Produced by Lei Lelalu.
Total time of original: 28min 17sec.
Sound Archives T819

• Track One: Different Perspectives of the Dispute (380k — 3min 4sec)Transcript of track one
• Track Two:Declaration of State of Emergency by Prime Minister Holland (127k — 1min 1sec) Transcript of track two
• Track Three: The Federation of Labour and Government Paranoia (288k — 2min 19sec) Transcript of track three
  

Sport

• Yvette Williams describes winning the longjump (then known as broad jump) at the 1952 Olympics, Helsinki (135k - 1min 5 secs) Transcript of Yvette Williams's description
  Sound Archives Reference: T4199
• Extract from 1954 radio documentary, 'Sports Mirror', about the 1954 Commonwealth Games and Yvette Williams's three gold medals (245k - 1min 58secs) Transcript of 1954 Sports Mirror programme
  Sound Archives Reference: D1196
• Winston McCarthy's famous rugby commentary, 'Listen....it's a goal!' - from the fourth test in the 1956 Springbok Tour at Eden Park when Don Clarke kicked a goal to take the All Black's lead to 11-0. The final result was 11-5. (119k - 57secs) Transcript of Winston McCarthy's commentary
  Sound Archives Reference: Highlights in NZ Sport compilation

Literature

• Monte Holcroft's tribute to Ruth France Part A (472k)
• Monte Holcroft's tribute to Ruth France Part B (299k) You can also read a transcript of this tribute

Children and Adolescents

Extracts from 'The Mazengarb Report' - Radio Documentary

• Bob Jones talks about clothing in the 1950s (1min 17sec; 160k) Transcript of Bob Jones on clothing
• Les Bailey talks about housing and adolescent entertainment in the Hutt Valley (1min 8 sec; 143k) Transcript of Les Bailey talk
• Bob Jones talks about sexual attitudes in the 1950s (59 sec; 123k) Transcript of Bob Jones talking about sexual attitudes
• Nigel Stace, a member of the Mazengarb commission, discusses attitudes to salacious literature and music (2min 42 sec; 334k) Transcript of Nigel Stace talk

� Copyright Radio New Zealand. All rights reserved. Permission of Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero, Christchurch, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of these radio recordings.

________________________________________

Battle of Crete - Oral history extracts and historical radio broadcasts (more to come)

• Oral Histories: Haddon Donald; Allan Robinson; Peter Wildey
• Contemporary radio recording: Major Peart

Sound recordings provided by Sound Archives/Nga Taonga Korero,
Copyright © Radio New Zealand.

Film clips from: Journey for Three NZ National Film Unit Laboratories,1950.

Part of Long Journey for Sevenpence: Assisted Immigration to NZ from the UK 1947-1975.

This is a New Zealand National Film Unit Film preserved and made available by Archives New Zealand /Te Whare Tohu Tuhituhinga O Aotearoa. This material is not to be re-used or published without the prior permission of the Chief Archivist.

• First Glimpse of NZ (213k); better quality version (2.6mb) - 'So that's New Zealand, eh? Not much to look at is it?'
• The Great Outdoors (356k); better quality version (2.7mb) - 'The other weekend I went on a 40-mile tramp with some of the other girls.... Some of them go tramping every week, but I wouldna do that - it makes your legs too muscley'
• Saturday Night at the Milkbar (144k); better quality version (1.1mb) - 'After the pictures, the only thing is to go to the milk bar...

From: Tangiwai Railway Disaster exhibition. Film of the Disaster Site.

This film was made using an 8mm camera by amateur cameraman Mr Edwin Nitschke on Boxing Day, 1953, two days after the disaster. We are most grateful to Mr Nitschke's family for making this available to us - it has never before been publicly screened. The approximately 5 minutes of total footage clearly shows the wreckage of the train and bridge against a backdrop of the still-swollen Whangaehu River.

The clips are provided below in low and higher resolution Windows Media Player (available on most Windows-based computers) and Real/RealOne Player formats. You can also see still images from the film.

Clip one: scenes of train wreckage; Prime Minister Sidney Holland and future Prime Minister Walter Nash walking around the crash scene.

• Windows Media: low (345k); high (1mb)
• Real/RealOne Player: low (303k); high (2.9mb)

Clip two: wrecked carriages by the river; remnants of bridge.

• Windows Media: low (463k); high (1.37mbs)
• Real/RealOne Player: low (413k); high (2.5mb)

Clip three: Police and army at the scene; bulldozers clearing rubble

• Windows Media: low (413k); high (1.2mb)
• Real/RealOne Player: low (365k); high (2.7mb)

Clip four: wrecked carriages by the still-swollen Whangaehu River

• Windows Media: low (363k); high (1mb)
• Real/RealOne Player: low (327k); high (3.1mb)

Clip five: Holland and Nash viewing the river; broken bridge; general wreckage.

• Windows Media: low (375k); high (1.1mb)
• Real/RealOne Player: low (332k); high (3.1mb)

Filmclips from The Royal Visit, 1953-54 exhibition

Royal Visit Film 1. Clips from The Royal Tour of New Zealand, 1953-54 (National Film Unit). National Film Unit Film preserved and made available by Archives New Zealand Te Whare Tohu Tuhituhinga o Aotearoa .

• Arrival of the Gothic (2.3mb) - lower quality version (805kb)
• Queen Street and Auckland hospital visit (2.44mb) - lower quality version (861kb)
• Waitomo Caves and Karapiro hydro dam (2.73mb) - lower quality version (954kb)
• Guide Rangi and geysers (2.4mb) - lower quality version (852kb)
• Manawatu and Taranaki (2.34mb) - lower quality version (838kb)
• Wellington - Children's welcome at Athletic Park (2.74mb) - lower quality version (953kb)
• Wellington: Queen entering Parliament (2.98mb) - lower quality version (1mb)
• Wellington: Queen's speech from Parliament (2.67mb) - lower quality version (945kb)
• West Coast (2.07mb) - lower quality version (231kb)
• Christchurch (1.99mb) - lower quality version (707kb)
• Dunedin - welcome (1.6mb) - lower quality version (570kb)
• Dunedin - children at Forbury Park (2.92mb) - lower quality version (1.02mb)
• Invercargill - A & P Show (3mb) - lower quality version (1.05mb)
• Yvette Williams jumping (703kb) - lower quality version (270mb)
• Gore - upside down bouquet presentation (1.7mb) - lower quality version (591kb)
• Bluff - preparing to leave NZ (3.07mb) - lower quality version (1.07mb)
• Leaving Bluff (3.02mb) - lower quality version (1.02mb)

Royal Visit Film 2. This film was made using an 8mm camera by amateur cameraman Mr Edwin Nitschke. We are most grateful to Mr Nitschke's family for making this available to us.

Arrival in Waipawa, 7 January 1954 (2.8mb) - lower quality version (995kb)

Film clips of the Queen, 8 January 1954:

• at Marton (2.98mb ) - lower quality version (810k).
• at Wanganui (2.08mb) - lower quality version (735k
• at Patea (2.19) - lower quality version (810k)

Arrival in Masterton on 15 January 1954 (3.09mb) - lower quality version (1.05mb)

At Paraparaumu on 16 January:

• Queen at Paraparaumu (1.09mb) - lower quality version (389k)
• Leaving Paraparaumu by plane (1.45mb) - lower quality version (549k)

Filmclips from the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition 1939-40

Amateur silent film created by the architect, Edward Anscombe

Exhibition Films page - contains still photos from these clips

See also text description of these clips

• Film Clip One: Start and Construction (1.6mb) Text description of clip one.
• Film Clip Two: Building the Roller Coaster (6.2mb) Text description of clip two.
  (Large file - lower quality edited option: Part A (1.4mb) and Part B (1.3mb)
• Film Clip Three: Buildings (1.5mb) - Text description of clip three.
• Film Clip Four: Street Scenes - Text description of clip four.
• Film Clip Five: Governor General Rides the Roller Coaster (2.4mb) - Text description of clip five
• Film Clip Six: Dodgems (970kb) - Text description of clip six.
• Film Clip Seven: Maori Haka (1.1mb) - Text description of clip seven.
• Film Clip Eight: Exhibition Grounds and Kupe Sculpture (3.8mb). Description of clip 8
• Film Clip Nine: Minature Railway (2.2mb). Description of clip 9
• Film Clip Ten: The Crazy House (2.3mb).Description of clip 10
• Film Clip Eleven: The 'Octopus' at Night and St Moritz Ice Show (2.1mb).Description of clip 11.
• Film Clip Twelve: End (1.7mb). Description of clip 12

Film clips from 'We Call it Home: A History of State Housing in New Zealand

Note the original film is quite dark and in places shows its age. See also still shots and sound transcript from these clips

Clips 1-4 are from Housing in New Zealand (1946)

Clip 5 is from Hutt Housing..First Family Moves to Waddington (1945)

• Clip one: Finding shelter during a housing shortage - lower quality (829kb ), higher quality (2.41 mb)
• Clip two: Gordon Wilson (1940s Government Architect) - lower quality (732kb ), higher quality (2.14 mb)
• Clip three: High and medium density living - lower quality (690kb ), higher quality (2 mb)
• Clip four: Suburban plans of the future - lower quality (778kb ), higher quality (2.3 mb)
• Clip five: Moving from the city and...- lower quality (865kb ), higher quality (2.5 mb)
• ...arriving at a new home - lower quality (648kb ), higher quality (1.9 mb)

These are New Zealand National Film Unit Films preserved and made available by Archives New Zealand /Te Whare Tohu Tuhituhinga O Aotearoa. This material is not to be re-used or published without the prior permission of the Chief Archivist.