Irirangi officer in exercise

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 11, 12 August 1986, Page 9

Irirangi officer in exercise

Katrina Marshall of HMNZS Irirangi at Waiouru and Bernie Carroll are cousins who enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Navy the same year - but they didn't know it. Now, 10 years on, the two are still wearing naval uniforms and have discovered other family members serving underthe New Zealand's wite ensign. "It wasn't until we started talking that we discovered we were related," says Katrina, nowa Petty Officer Writer. Her home town is Turangi, whilst her cousin, Leading Writer Carroll, comes from Taumarunui. After that revelation, they soon found out that several other folk in the Servfce were related to them. "When we go home, people say to us: 'do you know so and so - he's related to you'," says Katrina.

In New Zealand Bernie works in HMNZS Philomel's ship's office at Devonport in Auckland, while Katrina is further south in Irirangi's office at Waiouru. Their work as "writers" includes typing, general administration, clerical duties connected with pay, work processing and computer work. Both women took part on Exercise Joint Venture 86 in the Cook Islands. They were working together in the pay section of the exercise's Base Support Unit on Rarotonga's airfield. Their duties include visits to soldiers on outer islands to pay them field allowance. When not working under canvas on the airfield, the two were discovering life on Rarotonga. The cousins enjoyed their first experience of an overseas exercise.