Heritage Talk - Wainuiomata in World War 2

When the war was declared in 1939, Wainuiomata was a quiet rural area with a population of just around 200. Those locals eligible to serve were mostly engaged in vital farming, and, unlike WW1, we have no records of any who fought overseas.

But, we had ‘Dad’s Army’, roaming deserters, guerrilla warfare, top-secret installations, a fighter plane crash, and farmers suffering artillery barrages. And after the war, many returned servicemen settled here, with unusual tales of their experiences. You are invited to a talk to be given in the Library by the Historical Society President, Gavin Wallace, during which he will explain what did happen locally during that period beginning in 1939.

Photograph courtesy of Hutt City Libraries.