Taste of army part of Fest

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 555, 27 September 1994, Page 3

Taste of army part of Fest

By

Michele

Monaghan

As part of the Montana Ohakune Spring Fest, Waiouru' s Army Museum held a family activities day with all sorts of activities for the young and not-so-young. Marketing Manager Mark O'Connor said the day was planned to raise the profile of the museum throughout the region. "So far we' vebeen very, very busy," said Mr O'Connor. "The initial response in the first hour has been unbelievable." Visitors to the museum could dress up in old uniforms and get a real feel of stepping back in time. If you were keen you could have had your face 'cammed up' with green pastel, just like a real soldier wearing camouflage. Unimog rides were available and radios were set up to show what communication in the field is like. Soldiers from Queen Alexandra' s Mounted Rifles drove some of their armoured vehicles down to the museum so visitors could compare the old with the new. 16 Field Regiment provided two of the latest 105 mm light guns to look at. Visitors were treated to a firearms presentation from the museum' s extensive range of weaponry and all staff were on-hand to ensure visitors were well looked after. Mr O'Connor was born in Waiouru and has returned to take up the newly created position of Marketing Manager for the Army Museum. After 17 years in saies with Air New Zealand, Mr O'Connor said he sees his new job as challenging and exciting, and described the museum as a superb product. "It's the education centre for the Army." Mr O'Connor said that the Museum provides an alternative to skiing if people want a day off or if the mountain is closed but added, "If the mountain is closed for too many days in a row then we all suffer."