New officers' Mess at Waiouru

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 22, 30 October 1984, Page 1

New officers' Mess at Waiouru

The new officers' accommodation block at the Waiouru Military Ca'mp hardly looks like a six million dollar "mess". Set into the hillside and surrounded by trees the new building will house 120 officers and comes complete with a bar, lounges, a TV room, games room and reading rooms. The officers will move into their new accommodation late next month after it is officially opened. The present mess comprises of World War II barracks, set up temporarily 32 years ago after the old mess was burnt down. The

barracks do not include sleeping accommodation. Colonel Bruce Meldrum says now everything will be brought together and this is a situation they have been asking for for a long time. "It's far more convenient as well as being in the regimental tradition," he says. The old mess will still be used, however. From next year the size of the officer cadet school will double because fewer cadets will be sent to the Australian schools of Portsea and Duntroon. Australia is setting up a

Defence Force Academy for all three services and dismantling its 12-month course at Portsea. As well as this only seven or eight cadets will attend the Royal Military College in Duntroon, instead of the usual ten. The old accommodation will house the extra cadets. They will follow the same syllabus as the Australian course and the school staff will double. The new mess is matched by the recently completed warrant officers and sergeants mess. Each cost around six million dollars. Margaret Baker