Children from Poland outside a dormitory at Pahīatua camp. (Photos used with permission of editor of NZ's First Refugees: Pahīatua's Polish Children)
Children from Poland outside a dormitory at Pahīatua camp. (Photos used with permission of editor of NZ's First Refugees: Pahīatua's Polish Children)
David Galvin’s first introduction to the Polish children was when his mother decided to put on a concert for them in 1945.
His mother was one of several involved with local organisations who prepared a welcome at the Pahīatua camp for the children, placing flowers by each bedside.
But it was through some of them working for his father that David was able to build lifelong friendships.
Friends Maria Wypych, one of the Polish refugees who came to New Zealand in 1944 and stayed at the camp in Pahīatua, and Joyce Murphy at an anniversary celebration.
When some of the young Polish refugees wanted to “mingle into the New Zealand way of life”, they decided to approach John Galvin at Hamua.
David, who lives in Pahīatua, says they asked his father if he had any staff vacancies at the farm.
They were taken on for six months, and John was pleased with the efforts of the young men, who David says were confident and keen to adapt to the New Zealand way of life.
They would tell some horrific stories of their experiences before coming to New Zealand such as being transported by cattle trucks.
When some of the children became ill, with what was likely to be dysentery, they would be thrown off the truck into the snow and left there.
Children eating in the dining hall of the Pahīatua camp. (Photo used with permission)
While at the camp in Pahīatua, the young inhabitants would hide their food away – the assumption being that they were never sure what they would get the next meal, so would save some of it just in case.
Of the young men who came to work on the farm, David says there was Bolek (Boris) Zygadlo, an outstanding athlete who could do cartwheels for up to 50m and run up a completed haystack.
Boris would go on to St Patrick’s College, Silverstream, and was selected for the college’s rugby 1st XV.
Stanislaus (Stan) Kundyski was introduced to the manager of Bank of New Zealand Pahīatua and went on to have a career with the bank before retiring to Nelson.
David says he has pleasant memories of playing tennis against Joe Kozera, who was “mostly kind” with his returns.
“However, if I managed to beat him with a good shot he would famously cry out a warning of ‘no mercy’ and produce an explosive shot.”
David, who attended college in Silverstream, would often see Joe, who worked as a ticket collector on the Wellington Trams.
Some of the Polish children took to playing rugby like ducks to water. Two of their teachers at the Pahīatua camp played for Bush and Wellington. (Photo used with permission.)
David also wrote about some of the children’s introduction to rugby.
“The Polish children were fortunate their introduction to rugby was supervised by two very experienced provincial representative players who were teachers at the camp,” he writes.
“Frank Muller, a fast wing, played several years for both Wellington and Wellington B, represented Bush and Wairarapa-Bush in a game versus Wellington that doubled as an All Blacks trial.
“Andy Nola, a halfback, represented Marlborough in 1944, was chosen for Bush and played in the All Blacks trial game versus Wellington, and later played for Hawke’s Bay.
“Both coaches said the Polish boys took to rugby like a duck to water and when they appeared on the big stage for the first time at the annual seven-a-side tournament on King’s Birthday in Pahīatua, they duly performed in big divisions.
“Both finals were against Hamua-Newman combined. The Polish seniors won comfortably, but the midget encounter was 3-3 at fulltime, followed by two extra times with no scoring, and the next extra time was the first team to force the ball for a 25 drop-out. The Polish team was victorious.
“Two weeks later a rematch was arranged as a curtain raiser to a Konini senior game. The locals improved their team with the inclusion of John Webb, an outstanding athlete from Kakariki School (near Hamua). The result: 6-6.”
