Day 54 - Waiouru

My memories of the Desert Rd are from a very long time ago, when the boys were young. It had a few more corners to what I remember. Not sure why they are closing it in January for awhile. Seems in reason condition. The scene from the road is mostly scrub.
I did finally see a mountain! I missed Taranaki and the other one that the name escapes me at present. I did take plenty of pics incase the clouds came over and it was gone again.
Seeing the Army Museum was a must on my to do list. Loved it and so many names came to mind as I walked around from great uncles to uncles, and even a great great uncle. Robert David Smith in the Boer war. People I served with that went to Vietnam, to husband's of some I have met at reunions. I wonder what happened to the army chaps I did the medics course at Burnham with? Also thought of those that did CMT (compulsory military training) and some were at Burnham when I was there.
I watched a video of Ray Seymour talking about his time in Vietnam and as most know it as Agent Orange but there were others Agent blue and white that were actually herbicides. He also talked about PTSD and how he got help 35 years after the events of the war and urged anyone watching his video that has had an "event" in their lives to get help. He is able to sleep at night now. He also headed an inquiry into herbicides for the NZ Govt.
Talked to a staff member about giving them a copy of my interview of Roy, the 99 year old I recorded three years ago about his time in WW2 in the Army.
Something else to sort when I get home and seek his family's permission.
I was impressed that as I entered the museum there were pics of female soldiers (hope that is pc) but only one section on nurses in the war. How they got the hospital smell in that section is intriguing. As some will know there is a lack of acknowledgement of females at the Air Force Museum.
I was surprised at the low price of getting in $8. I made several donations in different places and got a bit of memorabilia from the gift shop. Lovely day here and will stay the night.En savoir plus