In March 1942, Prime Minister Peter Fraser makes James Fletcher ‘Commissioner of Defence Construction’ with power to call on all resources.
Peter Fraser and James Fletcher
In April the NZ government is warned that thousands of US Marines will land in Wellington in six weeks. Fully-serviced camps must be built rapidly.
The Government Architect draws up plans for prefabricated buildings. New Zealand builders drop all other jobs to prepare for the ‘invasion’.
Prefabricated panels, made in Canterbury, land on Aotea Quay.
Materials are railed to Paekākāriki and trucked to the camp sites. (The specially built goods shed in the rail yards is still there.)
On 6 May, Lt.Col. Merrill B. Twining of the US Marines Corps arrives to select camp sites, helped by two officers of the Royal NZ Engineers. Paekākāriki land, chosen as an infantry training area, is leased from its owners. Public Works Department prepares the sites.
Lt.Col. Merrill B. Twining
Camps Mackay and Paekākāriki, each holding about 5000 men, are built first. By February 1943 Camp Russell is also ready for 4850 men of the Second Marine Division.
On 1 Nov. 1943 the Second Marine Division sails from Wellington to the Battle of Tarawa, and the camps fall empty.
When peace comes, all buildings are dismantled for their timber. Huts are sold as accommodation for farm workers, as beach cottages or tool sheds. Two huts are made into this house for a returned soldier at 59 Tiromoana Road, Raumati South.