Having Fun

Leave was generous, especially for units returning from the fighting in Guadalcanal.

Camps were provided with recreation halls for films, games, concerts and dances, for which the American Red Cross employed local women as organisers and dancing partners.

Trains from Paekākāriki and Mackay’s Crossing were packed with men heading north and south in search of fun and company.

Visiting celebrities and local performers boosted morale. New Zealanders in towns and farms opened their homes to these young men, giving rise to lifelong friendships.