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Phyl\u2019s middle name \u2018Dorothea\u2019 was after her grandmother, Hanna Dorthea \u00a0Larsen. (Hanna and Nicolai Larsen had emigrated to New Zealand from Norway in 1873.) Phyl\u2019s parents settled in Christchurch in 1925. Phyl was the youngest of their three children.<\/p>\n
In the late 1930\u2019s Phyl and her sister Noela set off for a working holiday in Australia. While this is a rite of passage for many young New Zealanders today it would have been unusual in those days. The sisters were joined in Sydney by Enid an Australian cousin from their father\u2019s side, who had traveled from Perth to join them. Far from home and parental oversight these three young women had a wonderful time. They found jobs and just as they were beginning to enjoy the experience of living as independent young adults, it all came to a sudden end. A letter arrived from their mother strongly suggesting they return home. It looked as if a war in Europe was going to be a reality. Even though it was happening on the other side of the world, their parents wanted them home. They returned to Christchurch.<\/p>\n
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This is Phyl\u2019s story of her war years (told in her own words)-<\/p>\n
The story of an Ordinary Young Woman Joining the New Zealand Army in 1942<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/em>\u2018In 1936 I was 19 years old and was employed by the Hollywood Dressmaking School, making patterns. \u00a0One of the woman bosses married and moved to Melbourne [Australia] and opened up a branch there. \u00a0She asked me to come over and work for her. \u00a0\u2018Mum and Dad were not too keen on the idea but agreed as long as Noela [Phyl\u2019s older sister] went too.\u2019<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Late in 1942, I entered the army. \u00a0I was one of a hundred in the first intake of women soldiers into Addington Barracks. \u00a0I was a member of the Women’s Army Corp. \u00a0(WAC). \u00a0It was not that I really wanted to join the army but there was the fear of a worse fate. \u00a0All single women had to register themselves as available for work towards the war effort. \u00a0One could be assigned to virtually go anywhere and do anything regardless of personal preferences. \u00a0Many women were being sent into factories of various types, particularly those involved in food production. \u00a0I considered this a hideous option and so together with my workmate Joyce at Hollanders Dress Salon, I enlisted in the army.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/em>I enjoyed my time in the army but Joyce hated it. I was given comprehensive medical tests including sight and hearing and also had a lot dental work done including extractions. \u00a0In those days extractions were very common. \u00a0<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/em>There were no women’s uniforms as yet so the women had to wear men’s old khaki stuff. We had to march in ranks through Christchurch to the barracks at Addington where we lived and trained for six weeks. \u00a0Having always been an active outdoors person I had no difficulty with the physical training programme. \u00a0<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/em>I was posted to Godley Heads where I stayed for 13 months. \u00a0The women were given a choice of living in huts with six in each or living in barracks. \u00a0I chose the huts. \u00a0My group of six women were very house-proud and kept our little home well scrubbed and in order. \u00a0We were given weekly inspections by a superior officer, where we were required to stand to attention by our beds with our blankets rolled and everything in strict army order.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/em>Godley Heads had two 6 inch battery guns. \u00a0I worked in the observation post and carried a “tommy” gun which we had to clean and carry around. \u00a0I found it all, in some ways, a bit of a joke. \u00a0Initially, the post had been manned by male soldiers but most of these were sent overseas when the women were trained and available, with the exception of a few men who had medical conditions making them unfit for active service. \u00a0These men still generally manned the guns. \u00a0Many of the men sent away at this stage overseas were annoyed at losing their easy post at Godley Heads.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/em>The women had 24-hour shifts from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm the next day. \u00a0There were 10 to a shift and at least one of them had to be staring out to sea all the time. \u00a0They had telescopes trained out to sea and had target practice with live shoots. \u00a0One of the New Zealand ships would pull a target out to sea which the women shot at. \u00a0Sights had to be trained on the ship first then switched over to the target and guns fired.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/em>One of my friends was taking her turn at target practice one day which always made this woman very nervous. \u00a0The Brigadier was present on this occasion which made her even more nervous and she forgot to switch to the target before she fired. \u00a0The New Zealand naval ship was straddled with bullets. \u00a0My brother in law, Peter was on board that ship at the time. \u00a0\u00a0There was an inquiry into the incident.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/em>Another girl I was friends with at the Godley Heads was Doris who lived down south so I often took her home with me on my days off. \u00a0She contracted a mild form of meningitis after a holiday and left the service. \u00a0Later she married my brother, Bernard.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/em>Life at Godley Heads was like a boarding school with lots of rules, regulations, and duties. \u00a0The women had every sixth day off. \u00a0I had different duties apart from the 24-hour watches. As I was one of the few women who could drive. \u00a0I became the official driver for Major Anderson. \u00a0The Major had a 2 \u2013 seater sports car which I kept clean and polished as part of my job. \u00a0I enjoyed this and considered being a driver a ‘cushy job’.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/em>Women soldiers also became ‘batmen’ to the male officers. \u00a0This was a job which I was opposed to and considered it degrading. \u00a0I felt because of my attitude which was well known, I was only asked to do it once and refused to do it again and was given no trouble on account of this. \u00a0I particularly did not like the idea of cleaning the officer’s boots. \u00a0I just spat on them and gave them a rub without the proper polish. \u00a0\u201cThey got no shine from me\u201d. \u00a0<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n
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