Navigation for Sounds Historical

8:08 Today in New Zealand History. Cobb and Company coaches arrive in Dunedin 4 October 1863. 4'17"

8:15 Artist: Coral Cummins and the Bob Bradford Quartet

Song: September in the Rain
Composer: Warren/Dubin
Album: Radio NZ 1951 recording
Label: n/a

8:18 Historian and poet Bill Oliver

Bill Oliver, who died last week, is remembered by a generation of history students as the author of a one-volume history of New Zealand, but his greatest legacy was as founding editor of the New Zealand Dictionary of Biography. Extracts from a 1990 programme introduced by Elizabeth Alley in which he and Claudia Orange discuss the project and some extracts from the book are read. 17'10"

8:36 Life as a Prisoner of War at Bardia in North Africa

Recorded by Gunner George Stephenson for the wartime Mobile Unit. Some 190 British soldiers including New Zealanders, Tommies, South Africans and a few RAF personnel were prisoners at Bardia. Stephenson notes that the life of a POW is not a happy one and things were anything but pleasant when they were forced to endure captivity at Bardia the German stronghold in Libya. A few required medical treatment and were taken by hospital ship to Italy. On the 27 November 1941 the allies were attacked at 7.30 am and they were forced to surrender after being surrounded by tanks. Following their capture they were forced to march 20 miles starting at 12.30pm. They arrived at their destination at 9.9 that night tired, foot sore and weary. The next day the 129 allied POWs were shifted into a compound 85 by 40 yards that was to be their home for the next five weeks and which had no shelter what so ever. 14'37"

8:52 War Report 56

Les Cleveland sings some of the songs New Zealand troops sang during the First World War and veterans recall the various nationalities which fought beside the New Zealanders at Gallipoli. A "Clutha Leader" item rejoices at the news of Private McLennan, reported killed, being still alive and in hospital. McLennan would be killed in action in June 1916.

Music:

Artist: John McCormack
Song: There's a Long Long Trail A Winding
Composer: King/Elliott
Album: Oh, It's a Lovely War Vol 2
Label: CD41 486309

Artist: The Metropolitan Military Band
Song: United Forces March
Composer: n/s
Album: Oh, It's A Lovely War Vol 1
Label: CD 41 486286 6'59"

9:05 As I Remember Washday by the late Daphne Blackshaw

Sent in by her daughter Colleen Pilcher. Read by Tessa Sullivan. 4'21'. The family farm was at Putamahoe near Pukekohe.

9:11 Artist: Society Jazzmen

Song: Everybody Loves Saturday Night
Composer: trad
Album: Vintage Trad
Label: Zodiac 3'28"

9:16 Power for The South a radio feature recorded by the New Zealand Broadcasting Service in Christchurch in 1948 Part One

Interviews on the topic of the South Island's power shortage and efforts to combat it via the Ministry of Works Waitaki hydro-electric power scheme, in particular the Tekapo dam and power station. An interview with three men identified only as Malcolm, Ken and Paddy, about the shield tunnelling project, which was the first time such work had been done in the southern hemisphere. An interview with an unidentified crane driver about his work building the Tekapo power house. They hope to have the station operating by 1951. 15'17" Construction began on the Tekapo power station in 1938 and should have been completed in 1943, but the construction process was stopped as man power was diverted to the war effort of World War II. The control gates (dam) were built across the outlet of Lake Tekapo in 1940 and were used to regulate the amount of water entering the Tekapo River which contributes the Waitaki River and passes through the Waitaki power station in the lower reaches of the river. A 1.6km intake tunnel was constructed through the ancient glacial moraine to supply water from the lake to the power station. The lake was later raised to its current maximum level to provide a storage capability. The power station was finally commissioned in 1951 and became the second power station in the now substantial Waitaki power scheme.

9:34 Artist: Mario Lanza (1952)

Song: The Loveliest Night of the Year
Composer: Rosa
Album: Britain's First Number Ones
Label: n/s 3'33"

9:37 Women of Empire

Curator Windsor Jones tells Rob Webb about the Women of Empire exhibition, which is on until 13 November at the National Army Museum at Waiouru. 3'12"

9:42 Artist: Jimmy Parkinson

Song: The Great Pretender
Composer: Ram
Album: 1000 Original Hits 1956
Label: n/s 2'22'

The big hit version was by the Platters. Jimmy Parkinson an Australian recorded this UK cover version.

9:45 Off the Air

Veteran Dunedin radio broadcaster Neil Collins of Radio Dunedin, who retired on Friday after 57 years on radio, reminisces about his career. 13'25"

When I asked the veteran what drew him to radio his answer was rather unexpected...