Family History 1.122

Gaze History: NSG Memoir

War comes close

But the life of the whole nation was to be turned upside-down by the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. Being married with two children and rapidly approaching the age of forty, Noel was at this stage exempt from any suggestion of military service, but as the war dragged on and the supply of younger men was exhausted, and as conscription was introduced, the limits got closer and closer to his group. 

Meantime several of his friends either volunteered or later were conscripted for overseas service, including one friend from whom Noel bought his first car, an Austin 7, complete with canvas top, and celluloid windows, for five pounds. 

But the first effect of the war on the family was at Christmas 1939, when Fred’s new car, a Chevrolet, was commandeered by the army and, to his great disgust, was considered to be worth fifteen pounds less than he had paid for it a few months before. 

The other effect was the imposition of the blackout, whereby all windows had to be completely sealed from light escaping at night.  One night Noel and Mary had put all the lights out and because it was a warm night had lifted the blackout curtains and opened the windows for a draft. They were woken a few hours later by a warden who had been sent to tell them to get their blackout curtains up again, because the moon had been reflecting from their mirror and could be seen from a long way away! 

Some time later the introduction of rationing imposed a degree of hardship on everyone in the community. It was nothing, however, to the stories coming by radio and newspapers from Britain, of the sufferings of the people of London and other cities subject to nightly bombing by German air attacks. However a shiver went through the nation when the Niagara hit a mine and sank off the Northland coast. 

New Zealand families started the habit of sending food parcels, packed in tins and wrapped in calico sewn up tight, for needy families in London and surrounding areas affected by bombing.

 

The work of the Baptist Union in seeking for the establishment of a Theological College in New Zealand to train ministers had reached the point by 1940 where the decision had been taken that the College should be set up in Auckland.  A management committee was established in Auckland, and Noel was elected to it.  Their job was to find a suitable property.