Awatoto - Meeanee news is brought to you by the team at Hawke's Bay News
Recent posts
Thank you for using Neighbourly
The NZ Remembrance Army team in the Hawke's Bay recently removed lichen from the headstone of a First World War Kiwi Airman, who was well know for the music shop he ran in Napier for over 6 decades.
Neville Forsyth Harston, was originally born in Paeroa, but moved to Napier with his parents … View moreThe NZ Remembrance Army team in the Hawke's Bay recently removed lichen from the headstone of a First World War Kiwi Airman, who was well know for the music shop he ran in Napier for over 6 decades.
Neville Forsyth Harston, was originally born in Paeroa, but moved to Napier with his parents when he was young. His father Harry Loveridge Harston was a musician from Newark in England, while his mother Catherine Marie Harston hailed from Liverpool
Neville was educated at Napier Boys High School, where he was serving with the Senior Cadets when the First World War broke out. It was the same school his older brother Ernest had attended before moving to study law at Auckland University.
Ernest had volunteered straight away and joined the Main Body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1914. He saw service at Gallipoli as a Captain in the Wellington Infantry Regiment, for which he was awarded a mention in despatches.
Commanding the 7th (Wellington West Coast) Company of the 1st Wellington Battalion on the Somme in 1916, Ernest fell ill and was invalided out of the New Zealand Division. After recuperating, he returned to New Zealand and was attached to the Defence Headquarters in Wellington.
While his older brother was away, Neville had gained employment as a clerk with the South British Insurance Company, after graduating high school. He was also posted to the 9th (Hawke's Bay) Regiment of the New Zealand Army Reserve.
His older brother's stories of the War didn't put him off, and when he reached the age of 20 and met the enlistment requirements, Neville volunteered for service overseas in Europe.
He also volunteered for one of the most dangerous roles of the War; a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps. Enlisting in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in January 1918, he trained at the Sockburn Aerodrome established by Sir Henry Wigram.
Despite the dangerous nature of early aircraft, Neville was awarded his Royal Aero Club certificate and Canterbury Aviation Company pilot's brevet on 25 March 1918, in front of Colonel Chaffey and Sir Henry Wigram.
Flying the first plane built at the aerodrome, but with a new engine, Neville provided a display for the crowd, which including dropping potatoes from a height of 600 feet on to a target on the ground. He was commended for his accuracy.
Departing New Zealand on 2 May 1918 on HMT Balmoral Castle, as one of 30 cadets for the Royal Flying Corps, he arrived in London on 21 June and commenced further flying training.
It wasn't until 16 February 1919 that Neville was finally commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, and so it is unlikely he saw combat during the War.
However, he did meet several notable individuals. Including the Duke of York, who would later be crowned King George VI and father of Queen Elizabeth II.
Leaving the RAF on 19 September 1919, Neville returned to Napier. But on rejoining the South British Insurance Company he was posted for a period to their Calcutta branch in India.
His older brother Ernest would also proceed overseas to become a member of the secretariat of the League of Nations. Settling in the United Kingdom, Ernest rose to become a partner in a law firm, a Borough Councillor, and Chairman of the British Empire Service League after he was knighted in 1958.
Returning to New Zealand in the early 1920s, Neville set up a music shop on Hastings Street in Napier. He also continued his military service as was one of the original founding members of the New Zealand Territorial Air Force on establishment in June 1923.
Known as quite the bachelor man about town, he frequently wore suits made in Saville Row. Living in an apartment above his shop, he had attended a 21st Birthday party on 2 February 1931, only to be woken at 10.47am the next morning when a massive earthquake caused his wardrobe to fall on to his bed.
The quake killed 256 people. The front of Neville's shop collapsed and then the entire building was then gutted by fire. Having lost everything he rebuilt from scratch in 1932, with a new facade in a Spanish mission style.
The shop was a popular location "where you could find that old piece of sheet music or gramophone record." There were also two small rooms where customers could sit and try out gramophone records before purchasing them.
Neville, also helped rebuild the Napier Aero Club, which had lost all its assets in the earthquake. He joined the executive of the Club and worked with many close friends to re-establish the embankment aerodrome. He was also assisting with the establishment of a new aerodrome at "the Beacons" in the late 1930s.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Neville re-enlisted and joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force as an airfield controller. It is likely this included at Wigram, near Christchurch. As during the expansion of the base there during the War, a road 'Harston Place' was named after him, and still bears his name.
After the War, Neville continued working in his music store in Napier until his death in 1986. Very little changed in the shop over that time, and despite recent alterations, it still serves as a music shop today.
A brave Kiwi, who volunteered for one of the most dangerous jobs of the First World War, evidence of Neville Harston's service and dedication to music remain visible and Napier and Christchurch to this day. Lest we forget.
References:
www.aucklandmuseum.com...
www.airforcemuseum.co.nz...
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz...
collection.mtghawkesbay.com...
christchurchartgallery.org.nz...
data.napier.govt.nz...
knowledgebank.org.nz...
fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz...
nzetc.victoria.ac.nz...
teara.govt.nz...
christchurchcitylibraries.com...
www.nzdf.mil.nz...
Homophones can be confusing! But learning word meanings can help prevent spelling mistakes. What homophones can you think of?
This is a post from New Zealand Remembrance Army that is shared from Facebook.
An amazing story behind the grave recently cleaned by our team in Napier. Leonard Delabere Bestall was wounded serving as a medic during the First World War, and went on to provide critical welfare support to Kiwi … View moreThis is a post from New Zealand Remembrance Army that is shared from Facebook.
An amazing story behind the grave recently cleaned by our team in Napier. Leonard Delabere Bestall was wounded serving as a medic during the First World War, and went on to provide critical welfare support to Kiwi soldiers in Egypt during the Second World War.
The son of a Napier drapery shop owner, he trained as an architect in Christchurch where he served as a Territorial Force member of No.3 Field Ambulance Corps. When war broke out he enlisted in the 11th Reinforcements of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in December 1915.
Posted as a Private in the New Zealand Army Medical Corps, Leonard arrived in France in July 1916. He joined No.1 Field Ambulance Company, supporting the 1st (New Zealand) Infantry Brigade, with which he first saw action in the Battle of the Somme in September 1916.
Caring for battle casualties again at Messines in July and Passchendaele in early October 1917, Leonard was wounded in action on 22 October when he succumbed to the effects of a German gas shell.
After two months in hospital, and a one month with the Kiwi reinforcements group at Etaples, he rejoined his unit in January 1918. Part of the New Zealand Division's blunting of the enemy's advance during the German Spring Offensive in March, he fell seriously ill in May 1918.
Diagnosed with 'trench fever' he was evacuated to England, where he recovered at Broadhurst Hospital. Despite being discharged for duty a month later, he was classified as unfit for further service and so remained attached to the hospital staff for the rest of the War.
While in England Leonard met Frances Mary Ambler Widdowson of Lincolnshire. She followed him out to New Zealand after his return in April 1919. They were married in Napier in December 1920.
Returning to work in his father's drapery shop, he was also attracted to the arts and was a founder member of the Napier Society of Arts and Crafts. Leonard was also critical in helping raise funds to build the Hawkes Bay Art Gallery and Museum, despite the earthquake in 1931.
Awarded a Coronation Medal in 1937, he was touring the United States and Britain on a Carnegie fellowship when the War broke out in 1939. A dedicated Christian, Leonard volunteered for service with the Church Army in December 1941.
Enlisted in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force as a Private, he was generally referred to as Mr Bestall, and was posted to the Kiwi base at Maadi Camp, near Cairo in May 1942.
Eventually appointed an Honorary Captain, "he was responsible for the morale, spiritual welfare and recreational needs of New Zealand soldiers" who rotated through Maadi.
Although well behind the lines, Leonard still had to endure the harsh desert environment and was admitted to hospital for a month in September 1942.
Awarded the Africa Star in 1943, he fell critically ill again in February 1944 and was admitted to hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. After recovering, Leonard spent six weeks working at the New Zealand base camp in Italy, before returning to Egypt.
He departed Suez in August 1944 and returned to New Zealand via Bombay, India. Discharged from the military in November he returned to the family business in Napier.
Continuing his leadership of the art gallery and museum, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the King's Birthday honours list in 1949, "for services in the fields of art and music."
Leonard was director of the gallery and museum when he passed away in 1959. He created an endowment fund and bequeathed a large sum to the museum. Bestall Street in Maraenui was named after him in the early 1960s.
The humble epitaph on his grave provides just a small hint of his wartime service, but little indication of the major contribution he made to community of Napier and the Hawke's Bay.
A brave man who endured significant deprivations on the battlegrounds of the Western Front, he followed this by making a enduring contribution to welfare of Kiwi soldiers a generation later. Lest we forget.
References:
www.aucklandmuseum.com...
teara.govt.nz...
collection.mtghawkesbay.com...
collection.mtghawkesbay.com...
Here is a weekend puzzle for those of you who enjoyed the last one. Answer to follow on Monday.
Kia ora Hawkes Bay neighbours!
We hope that you are safe and sound with your bubbles at home.
With two weeks to go until nominations close – it's time to lockdown your nomination for 2022 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year. We're looking for that special person in this community – … View moreKia ora Hawkes Bay neighbours!
We hope that you are safe and sound with your bubbles at home.
With two weeks to go until nominations close – it's time to lockdown your nomination for 2022 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year. We're looking for that special person in this community – the one doing exceptional mahi to make the Hawkes Bay a better place.
Nominations close 31 August and only take 5 minutes.
Get in quick – www.nzawards.co.nz...
Dear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for rocket recipes, so send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz before Aug 31, 2021.
Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Homegrown Recipes.
Form meets function in this stylish bin storage and planter combination painted in bold Resene hues. Find out how to create your own.
At Curtain Clean we take care of all types of repairs!
- Repair undone hems
- Repair rips and broken bartacks
- Repair ripped sides of curtains
- Shortening of curtains
If you have curtain problems we can probably fix them! Call us on 0800 579 0501 if you have something you would like to … View moreAt Curtain Clean we take care of all types of repairs!
- Repair undone hems
- Repair rips and broken bartacks
- Repair ripped sides of curtains
- Shortening of curtains
If you have curtain problems we can probably fix them! Call us on 0800 579 0501 if you have something you would like to discuss with us, or click the link to contact us by email.
Lockdowns are tough for many in business, so let us share the load.
Whether it's setting up technology to keep your business running smoothly, or advice on working remotely.
Get in touch with us, we’d love to help.
Is this you?
You know building the skills and capability of your staff is vital, but it’s hard to know where to start or even where to turn for advice, so it keeps sliding down your to-do list.
Use this guidebook to develop your company’s capability and improve your bottom line.
In 2050, the human population is expected to exceed 10 Billion people globally. Even now, we face unprecedented environmental challenges and ever-growing numbers of diet-related illnesses, food insecurity, supply chain disruptions and many more challenges. How will we ever feed 10 Billion people … View moreIn 2050, the human population is expected to exceed 10 Billion people globally. Even now, we face unprecedented environmental challenges and ever-growing numbers of diet-related illnesses, food insecurity, supply chain disruptions and many more challenges. How will we ever feed 10 Billion people fresh, healthy, nutritious food without it costing the earth?
Come along to our public talk to find out what simple solution we can all participate in that will help us get there, and improve our environment and society in the process.
www.neighbourly.co.nz...
UPDATE
August 18
1.16pm
The Prime Minister and the Director-General of Health are currently giving an update to the nation at the Beehive.
Here's what you need to know:
- Genome sequencing was undertaken last night and it has been confirmed that this is linked to the NSW outbreak.
- … View moreUPDATE
August 18
1.16pm
The Prime Minister and the Director-General of Health are currently giving an update to the nation at the Beehive.
Here's what you need to know:
- Genome sequencing was undertaken last night and it has been confirmed that this is linked to the NSW outbreak.
- There are no genomic matches to those cases at the border to this case.
- There are a further two cases to report in the community.
- From 11:59pm, it will be compulsory to wear masks when accessing essential services.
- From 8am tomorrow, the Covid-19 vaccination programme will resume.
___________________________________________________________
UPDATE
August 18
9.10am
- Four new cases have been identified, all genomically linked to the original case
- The original case has been confirmed as having the Delta variant
___________________________________________________________
New Zealand will move to a Level 4 lockdown after a community case was detected in Auckland.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was joined by Ashley Bloomfield at a press conference, where she confirmed that Auckland and Coromandel would move to Alert Level 4 from 11.59pm for seven days, while the rest of the country will be under Level 4 conditions for three days.
It is unknown whether this case is that of the Delta variant. Bloomfield stated that genome sequencing will be completed by tomorrow morning.
There is currently 23 locations of interest, 10 in Auckland and 13 in Coromandel. Current locations of interest can be found here.
The case has no links to the border and interviews are currently being undertaken with the case to find any possible locations of interest and how they came to be in contact with Covid-19.
Here's what you need to know:
- A refresh on Level restrictions and what it means for you.
- Here are the locations of interest.
- If you have any flu-like symptoms, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or ring your GP.
- Find your closest Covid-19 testing location on the Healthpoint website
- Essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open.
For more information, visit covid19.govt.nz.
FULL HOUSE - Something for everyone!
Viewing & Absent Bids Welcome: Mon 8-5, Tue 8-6 & Wed from 8
More Photos www.mafa.co.nz... (18 Aug) & facebook
NB: Double header next week. General Auction Wednesday & Antique Auction Thursday.
We sell ALL SORTS of replacement parts - from hooks to tilters to end caps to blind weights and everything in between! Pictured are our most commonly requested parts, but we have many others in our workshop for all types of blinds and brands. Get in touch with us if you need something - 0800 579 … View moreWe sell ALL SORTS of replacement parts - from hooks to tilters to end caps to blind weights and everything in between! Pictured are our most commonly requested parts, but we have many others in our workshop for all types of blinds and brands. Get in touch with us if you need something - 0800 579 0501 or email us on admin@curtaincleaning.co.nz!
© Neighbourly 2024
Loading…
