Norman Graeme Garland

I whānau mai i te 28 Aug 1928 - I mate atu i te 5 Mar 1988

Nama Hōia: Korea 203858 AWMM
Ingoa kārangaranga: —
Te Ope o Tū / te peka: Army AWMM
Te tūnga whakamutunga: Korea
Pakanga: Korean War, 1950-1953 AWMM

Norman Graeme Garland — Photograph of 'Prisoner of war Graeme Garland being treated with anti-lice spray on return from captivity, Korea', 7 August 1953. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, K-2237-F. Image is subject to copyright restrictions.

Whakaatu mai ngā āpure e wātea ana Hunaia ngā mātāwai kōrero

Kōrero taurongo

Gunner Norman Graeme Garland, of Cambridge, was the only New Zealand soldier taken prisoner during the Korean War. Serving with 161 Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillery, he was captured on 17 November 1951 while attached to an observation post of the 16th New Zealand Field Regiment. The post came under intense fire from self-propelled guns while supporting the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. During a lull, Garland attempted to reach company headquarters but was intercepted by Chinese troops and taken prisoner (Press, 1953c).

Garland was held for 21 months, primarily at Camp 5, Pyoktong, North Korea. He described a forced march north of approximately 125 miles in snow and light clothing before reaching the camp, where conditions gradually improved. Prisoners received quilted clothing, and by late captivity, food was prepared by fellow prisoners, improving rations. Garland remained with a British company throughout but maintained strong ties with Australian prisoners, keeping the "Anzac spirit" alive (Press, 1953c). He received his first mail in February 1952 and noted regular correspondence until March 1953 (Press, 1953c).

He was formally repatriated by the Chinese on 7 August 1953 and processed through Freedom Village before travelling to the New Zealand base at Hiro, Japan. There he received a personal welcome from Lieutenant-General H. Wells and Brigadier R. S. Park. Garland expressed regret that he was not released two days earlier, on his mother’s birthday, saying, “I thought it would be the best birthday present I could give her” (Press, 1953c). His mother, Mrs E. C. Garland, resided in Whitehall near Cambridge.

Garland returned to New Zealand by air later that month. On arrival in Auckland, those who knew him before captivity remarked on his quiet demeanour: “He’s somehow just not the same bloke,” said one. “Much quieter—seems to be trying to bridge a gap in his life” (Press, 1953b, p. 7).

He later settled in Te Awamutu, where he died on 5 March 1988, aged 59. He is buried at Te Awamutu Cemetery in the RSA Ashes section. AWMM

E hangaia tonutia ana te Maumaharatanga Tuihono; tāpirihia ai ngā whakahoutanga me ngā pūkete i ia wiki. I ētahi wā, kāore anō kia whakaūhia ngā pūkete e ngā kaimahi o Te Whare Taonga, tēnā pea he hapa kei roto i ngā kōrero.

Kua whai mana ngā raraunga a Tāmaki Paenga Hira i raro i te mana o te raihana Āhuatanga a Creative Commons 4.0 Raihana ā-ao

Norman Graeme Garland

Norman Graeme Garland

Tuakiri

E pā ana ki

Mātātuhi me ngā tuhinga

Mātātuhi

Ngā tuhinga

Tauoranga kirirarau

Te whānautanga

Ope taua

Ngā pakanga me ngā whawhai

Ngā tohu taumata rau ope taua

Te Whakangungu me te Urunga atu

Te maha o ngā ekenga waka

Mauhere o te pakanga

Whakapapa hauora

Te tūnga whakamutunga e mōhiotia ana

Kōrero taurongo

Kōrero taurongo

Matenga

Te matenga

Ngā maumaharatanga

Maumaharatanga

Ngā mātāwai

Ngā mātāwai