Abstract of Jack Campbell KNIGHT, 2023
Item — Box: 15
Identifier: H02770002
Abstract
H0277 JACK CAMPBELL KNIGHT
Interviewer: Gordon Duston
Abstractor: Judith Christie
Interview date: 24 November 2016
TRACK ONE
00.12 Interview identification.
01.40 Self born in LAWRENCE on 10 December 1925. Self’s FATHER was a baker at WAIPOURI when young, then a grocer in Lawrence. At one stage in partnership in a MOTOR GARAGE, then took over the grocery shop during the Depression, then worked with BURWOOD AND CO, a Lawrence business.
03.30 During the war, brother had a grocery shop in Waikouaiti, asked father to look after shop when brother was at war. Self left school, and started working in the Post Office as a message boy in Waikouaiti. DELIVERED TELEGRAMS, picked up mail, menial work for a year.
05.00 Went to Morse School to learn MORSE CODE and POST OFFICE PROCEDURES. Qualified, then worked in country offices. Sent to ROXBURGH for six months, then to work at AWARUA RADIO STATION.
06.00 A lot of other young men at Awarua, along with older men. Came from all parts of New Zealand. Some lived in Invercargill and COMMUTED ON PUSH BIKES, other stayed on the station. Self stayed in SINGLE MEN’S DORMITORY. 25 rooms, with two men to a room. Describes
08.50 ANNUAL SALARY £80 per annum at the station. Accommodation free. Went to dances at WOODEND, CLIFTON and HAWTHORNDALE, travelling by bicycle. Hid bottles of beer in the hedge.
11.30 Sports played at Awarua included CRICKET. KEG PARTIES held.
12.15 SIX HOUR SHIFTS, starting at 6.00 or 12.00. Meals to suit shifts.
13.00 HOME GUARD guarded the station from 1942 onwards. Correct title HOME DEFENCE BRANCH OR NATIONAL DEFENCE. Run by the ARMY. Self suspected that a REDOUBT (A GUN EMPLACEMENT) manned by them on the site.
End of Track One
TRACK TWO
00.12 HOME DEFENCE GUARD played Poker with senior members of the Post Office staff.
01.00 HOME DEFENCE GUARD had separate meals and separate huts. All older men – self suspected they were too old to go overseas. Mentions gun emplacement at Tairoa Heads and Bluff Hill.
02.30 Had to supply own FIREWOOD for BILLIARD ROOM AND SOCIAL ROOM. Farmer across the road from the station allowed Manuka to be cut down, and lent horse and dray to carry the wood. Describes
05.00 Double adaptor in light plug used to put a low voltage heater in.
05.45 Demanding work during the war. Each person had one FREQUENCY, and listened to that frequency. Describes. RECORDED SHIPS AND LAND STATIONS. Describes
07.30 SHIFTS unbroken, but cups of tea brought to staff. Could walk around and take the Morse code copy. Had to learn JAPANESE MORSE CODE as well. Describes and chart examined.
11.50 LONDON NEWSPAPERS arrived by high speed Morse code. Typed out in London, placed on a high speed tape and transmitted to Awarua, to take off the tape and put on the typewriters to send to local newspapers.
13.45 Lines too noisy to speak on would still be OK to receive Morse Code.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.00 At Awarua for two and a half years After the war, was to be transferred to AUCKLAND RADIO, but received a telegram while in transit at Waikouaiti informing self that he would be transferring to WELLINGTON RADIO. There for a few months, then went back to POST OFFICE duties in BALCLUTHA for two or three years.
02.15 Worked in the OWAKA TELEPHONE EXCHANGE for four months, then worked at KUROW for six months, then transferred to QUEENSTOWN for thirteen years, where self married and brought up a family.
03.00 When youngest child was three months old, appointed POST MASTER IN OWAKA in 1965, and worked there until RETIREMENT in 1982at age 57.
04.00 Post retirement, WORKED IN A GARAGE and DROVE A SCHOOL BUS for seven years. Heart problems meant that bus driving finished.
05.00 OWAKA SCHOOL had more students in those days – self did the Owaka Valley run in a 40 seater bus.
06.20 Pass required at the AWARUA STATION, and a sentry was stationed there during the war years.
07.20 Self in the HOME GUARD at Waikouaiti describes. Issued with armband as identification, and also an antique rifle.
00.30 Did not attend the celebrations in OAMARU, but did go down to local celebrations. The building that the museum is in was the transmitting building. Ceiling brought down – was formerly open. Had been used for farm storage. A small room at the end of the transmitting room was used by self as a workshop.
End of Track Three
Interviewer: Gordon Duston
Abstractor: Judith Christie
Interview date: 24 November 2016
TRACK ONE
00.12 Interview identification.
01.40 Self born in LAWRENCE on 10 December 1925. Self’s FATHER was a baker at WAIPOURI when young, then a grocer in Lawrence. At one stage in partnership in a MOTOR GARAGE, then took over the grocery shop during the Depression, then worked with BURWOOD AND CO, a Lawrence business.
03.30 During the war, brother had a grocery shop in Waikouaiti, asked father to look after shop when brother was at war. Self left school, and started working in the Post Office as a message boy in Waikouaiti. DELIVERED TELEGRAMS, picked up mail, menial work for a year.
05.00 Went to Morse School to learn MORSE CODE and POST OFFICE PROCEDURES. Qualified, then worked in country offices. Sent to ROXBURGH for six months, then to work at AWARUA RADIO STATION.
06.00 A lot of other young men at Awarua, along with older men. Came from all parts of New Zealand. Some lived in Invercargill and COMMUTED ON PUSH BIKES, other stayed on the station. Self stayed in SINGLE MEN’S DORMITORY. 25 rooms, with two men to a room. Describes
08.50 ANNUAL SALARY £80 per annum at the station. Accommodation free. Went to dances at WOODEND, CLIFTON and HAWTHORNDALE, travelling by bicycle. Hid bottles of beer in the hedge.
11.30 Sports played at Awarua included CRICKET. KEG PARTIES held.
12.15 SIX HOUR SHIFTS, starting at 6.00 or 12.00. Meals to suit shifts.
13.00 HOME GUARD guarded the station from 1942 onwards. Correct title HOME DEFENCE BRANCH OR NATIONAL DEFENCE. Run by the ARMY. Self suspected that a REDOUBT (A GUN EMPLACEMENT) manned by them on the site.
End of Track One
TRACK TWO
00.12 HOME DEFENCE GUARD played Poker with senior members of the Post Office staff.
01.00 HOME DEFENCE GUARD had separate meals and separate huts. All older men – self suspected they were too old to go overseas. Mentions gun emplacement at Tairoa Heads and Bluff Hill.
02.30 Had to supply own FIREWOOD for BILLIARD ROOM AND SOCIAL ROOM. Farmer across the road from the station allowed Manuka to be cut down, and lent horse and dray to carry the wood. Describes
05.00 Double adaptor in light plug used to put a low voltage heater in.
05.45 Demanding work during the war. Each person had one FREQUENCY, and listened to that frequency. Describes. RECORDED SHIPS AND LAND STATIONS. Describes
07.30 SHIFTS unbroken, but cups of tea brought to staff. Could walk around and take the Morse code copy. Had to learn JAPANESE MORSE CODE as well. Describes and chart examined.
11.50 LONDON NEWSPAPERS arrived by high speed Morse code. Typed out in London, placed on a high speed tape and transmitted to Awarua, to take off the tape and put on the typewriters to send to local newspapers.
13.45 Lines too noisy to speak on would still be OK to receive Morse Code.
End of Track Two
TRACK THREE
00.00 At Awarua for two and a half years After the war, was to be transferred to AUCKLAND RADIO, but received a telegram while in transit at Waikouaiti informing self that he would be transferring to WELLINGTON RADIO. There for a few months, then went back to POST OFFICE duties in BALCLUTHA for two or three years.
02.15 Worked in the OWAKA TELEPHONE EXCHANGE for four months, then worked at KUROW for six months, then transferred to QUEENSTOWN for thirteen years, where self married and brought up a family.
03.00 When youngest child was three months old, appointed POST MASTER IN OWAKA in 1965, and worked there until RETIREMENT in 1982at age 57.
04.00 Post retirement, WORKED IN A GARAGE and DROVE A SCHOOL BUS for seven years. Heart problems meant that bus driving finished.
05.00 OWAKA SCHOOL had more students in those days – self did the Owaka Valley run in a 40 seater bus.
06.20 Pass required at the AWARUA STATION, and a sentry was stationed there during the war years.
07.20 Self in the HOME GUARD at Waikouaiti describes. Issued with armband as identification, and also an antique rifle.
00.30 Did not attend the celebrations in OAMARU, but did go down to local celebrations. The building that the museum is in was the transmitting building. Ceiling brought down – was formerly open. Had been used for farm storage. A small room at the end of the transmitting room was used by self as a workshop.
End of Track Three
Dates
- 2023
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Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
From the Record Group: English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Duston, Gordon Thomas (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
