50 years of watching Waiouru's generations

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 415, 3 December 1991, Page 11

50 years of watching Waiouru's generations

BY

J0

HOWIE

Jimmy Trotter is a familiar person to most Waiouru residents, and a well known person to thousands of soldiers and ex-servicemen. Jimmy has lived in Waiouru since 1942, when he enlisted in the army, and has never left the place. Over these last fifty years he has had a variety of jobs including restocking the boiler, storeman, the official tea man of Waiouru's Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess, supervising cleaning staff and Batman for visiting senior Officers. Due to his dedication and loyalty to the army and servicemen over the years he has been granted Honorary membership of the Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess. As none of Jimmy's immediate family were alive, he decided to immigrate from Scotland to New Zealand as a farm cadet. This was in 1925 when he was 17 years old. He was conscripted to the army and arrived in Waiouru on 1 May 1941 His job originally was

to look after the boilers in Block 6. He remembers there were six blocks of buildings where soldiers lived while under regimental training. Each block had a boiler that required constant supervision. Coal was fed continuously to provide hot water, there was no heating in those days. Waiouru consisted of six building blocks, a Headquarters, and Messes. Jimmy said he remembers it as being very busy during Christmas 1941, it was the peak period for

training men for war. In the six blocks, he estimated there to be three to four thousand soldiers. After the war Waiouru expanded with the addition to the Camp of a housing area. "There have been a lot of changes since those days. The grounds were covered in tussock," Jimmy said. After the war Jimmy moved to the Quarter Store where he reached the rank of Sergeant. He was responsible for the Camp linen and ex-

pendable stores. He retired after the normal period of 20 years service in 1963, over which time he had received the following medals; the War Medal 1939-45, New Zealand War Service medal, and Long Service and Good Conduct medal. Reluctant to leave Waiouru and his friends, he became a civilian employee of the Ministry of Defence. He supervised cleaning staff in the Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess. Here he stayed until re-

tiring age of 60 years. His Honorary membership has come from his loyalty and dedica-

tion, and tremendous service he has given to the army, said Warrant Officer O'Neil, the ATG's

Regimental Sergeant Major. Jimmy said, "as long Turnpage 12

50 years

Frompagell as I behave myself, I hope to stay in the Mess for a while longer." His daily routine involves an early rise, making cups of tea for Mess residents, arriving at the Registry Office to turn on the heaters. He potters around doing odd jobs for people, including collecting and delivering papers and helping in the mail room. His hobbies include crosswords and puzzles, learning

Spanish, and writing letters. Jimmy said he has seen many generations come and go. He said he loves Waiouru and it is his home. Over the years he has become a Waiouru identity. There is a street named after him Trotters Way', where he regularly walks to pick up the mail. On his 80th birthday he received many letters and messages from retired Generals and Brigadiers thanking him for his loyal services.