Saturday, June 21, 2008
Good morning, it gives me pleasure to welcome you all here as we honour the Petone Naval Artillery Volunteers of yesteryear as part of the Wellington Region Heritage Promotion Council and Petone Historical Society’s Heritage and Military Month.
I want to start by saying what an honour it is to inspect the smartly dressed and well drilled young men and women of the TS Tamatoa sea cadets and No. 2 (Hutt City) Squadron Air Training Corps – units with long and proud histories in Petone going back almost 70 years.
History, in fact, records that TS Tamatoa owes its existence to the Petone Navals who, prior to disbandment, sponsored the unit’s formation in 1941, while 2 Squadron used the Drill Hill built and used by the Navals.
This connection with the past makes this parade the most fitting tribute that can be given to the Navals, which were formed in 1880 as fear of Russian expansion in the South Pacific, known as the “Russian Scare,” gripped the nation.
By 1886, the Navals were well-known and respected around New Zealand with one newspaper, the New Zealand Times, observing:
“The Petone Navals, who now muster 76, bid fair to take a leading position among the Navals in the colony. They have a very fine Drill shed, where concerts and balls are occasionally held, and are custodians of a 64-pounder, which is now fixed in position on the beach”.
Given this reputation, it was no surprise the Navals were made responsible for the Artillery defence works of Wellington’s inner harbour: Fort Kelburn, Fort Buckley (Kaiwharawhara) and the Gardens Battery on the site of the present Carter Observatory.
It was at Fort Kelburn, writes Susan Butterworth in her book ‘Petone: A History,’ that the Navals created a world record in a shoot with 40 hits recorded out of 40 rounds fired. With accuracy like that, it’s just as well for the Russians they didn’t attempt to invade!
As well as manning the batteries, the Navals were something of a coast guard service while submarine mining, regularly fishing distressed boaters and swimmers out of the water.
In 1910, the Navals integrated with the Wellington regiment, but later reformed as the Ex-Petone Navals and carried on in a shed at Petone Beach before calling it a day after the Second World War.
The Petone Naval Artillery Volunteers are gone, but not forgotten. Thank you to the Petone Historical Society and the Wellington Region Heritage Promotion Council for helping to keep our history alive.
Thank you also the TS Tamatoa sea cadets and No. 2 (Hutt City) Squadron Air Training Corps for performing ceremonial duties. Both units were conferred the Freedom of Petone by the former Petone Borough Council. Today, it is my pleasure to reaffirm this honour.
Finally, I want to thank those of you who have come today to celebrate our heritage; we appreciate very much your support.