Jon Patrick (second from right) has made several trips to the Auckland Islands to restore heritage buildings. This Easter his team plans to restore the Coastwatchers base at Ranui Cove.
"The surviving structures on the Auckland Islands and their association with the coastwatchers, are important examples of our wartime heritage," says Heritage New Zealand's Dave Margetts.
"This is a great opportunity to be part of efforts to help restore some of this built heritage, and to also take part in what is sure to be an unusual and significant Anzac Day parade."
Aucklander Jon Patrick and several fellow builders began voluntary work to repair Auckland Islands' heritage sites in 2011 and 2012, attracted by the cachet of visiting islands with highly restricted access.
"For Kiwi sailors these islands are the last frontier. We've read-up on the lives of the coastwatchers there and it opened our eyes," says the Auckland builder and avid ocean racer.
The accommodation building used by coastwatchers at Ranui Cove, on the Auckland Islands, will be re-piled and re-roofed by enthusiastic volunteers.
"They endured extreme weather and unusual isolation. As well as scanning the horizons, they did much scientific research. Regardless of not encountering enemy shipping, they deserve recognition."
Behind enemy lines
During the war, hundreds of New Zealand and Australian coastwatchers operated on islands from north of the equator to the deep Southern Ocean. They monitored weather and toughed out repetitive shifts on the lookout for Japanese aircraft and shipping.
Some stationed in the Solomon Islands, and elsewhere, beat the odds by operating behind enemy lines. Hiding in jungles and mountainous areas, they sent field intelligence to Allied commanders using cumbersome radio equipment, evading capture for months.
In the battle for Guadalcanal, GIs and Marines manned anti-aircraft guns, whenever coastwatchers reported Japanese bombers on the way.
Builder Doug Kemp restores a boardwalk beside the historic cemetry at Hardwicke. These few graves recall an ill-starred attempt to settle the Auckland Islands during the 1850s.
American Admiral William (Bull) Halsey said the battle for Guadalcanal probably saved the Pacific, "and the coastwatchers saved Guadalcanal".
In 1942, Japanese Imperial forces captured and beheaded 17 New Zealand coastwatchers in the Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati).
"The southern coastwatchers bases were known to the Japanese. But this may have dissuaded them from using our Sub-Antarctic islands to launch invasions of New Zealand and Australia.
"Eminent New Zealand scientists Sir Robert Falla and Sir Charles Fleming were among the men who operated down there in those difficult conditions. It's easy now to say they were far from the fighting. But in the early years of the War they would have had no idea whether the enemy was close, or far away.
"The only plan, if the Japanese landed, was alert New Zealand by radio, then withdraw to secret huts in the hinterland.
"With the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli looming and our minds concentrated on those who sacrificed to maintain our freedom, it's good to recall what the coastwatchers did.
The Auckland Islands are a tough place to live and work, let alone during a War."
Base buildings provided sleeping and living accommodation and the lookouts were separate huts where they watched for enemy ships. Profound isolation is one reason the base and lookout at Ranui Cove has survived.
Secret base
Initially constructed without a jetty or any landing facilities visible from the sea, the base used huts originally built for Antarctic exploration. They were designed as temporary structures, for war use only. They're now in urgent need of repair and the main accommodation hut needs re-piling and re-roofing. Windows in the lookout will also be replaced.
Once the roof is compromised the softwood (pinex) walls, will disappear rapidly, says Mr Patrick.
It isn't all work for the volunteer builders who restore historic buildings for the Department of Conservation in the Auckland Islands. They're given some time off for sight seeing in the rugged Sub-Antarctic environment.
"Were it not for the adding of a layer of tar paper and other maintenance, done by a scientific expedition which used these buildings during the 1970s, these buildings would be long gone."
Coastwatchers' infrastructure built in the tropics disappeared years ago, while extreme weather and damage from hefty sea lions has reduced most buildings at the other Sub-Antarctic coastwatchers' bases - Tagua Bay and on Campbell on Island - to piles of rotting timber.
Following the work at Ranui Cove, the team will travel to the Tagua station to replace windows at the only good building left there, the lookout station.
"It's going to be difficult working there, especially if the weather cuts up rough, but we regard this experience as a challenge and a privilege. Securing these buildings against the elements will ensure future generations can visit Ranui Cove, and appreciate the era of the coastwatchers."
* The Auckland Islands are a National Nature Reserve and have World Heritage status because they are home and breeding grounds for a rich variety of species. Both the islands and their aquatic environment are managed together by DOC, recognising the vital interconnection between land and sea in the subantarctic region. The builders involved with heritage work at Ranui Cove are part of a larger expedition of more than 20 scientists and dignataries, who will also be aboard the Wellington.
