
The Museum takes great responsibility in handling these unlocked memories. The recounting of the testimony can be emotional for an interviewee who may never have discussed the details of his or her experiences with anyone before. These testimonials provide a unique insight into the naval life of men and women during war and peace. The recorded and transcribed interviews help to create a fuller understanding of our past. Oral history is an important method of collecting unique and personal recollections – historical evidence that might otherwise be lost forever. The oral histories include veterans’ memories from as early as WW1 and include personal stories of naval personnel recently returned from duties in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Cambodia, East Timor and the Sinai.

Read about ‘HMNZS Gambia’ – the ship known to have fired the last shots of WWII and ‘HMHS Maheno ‘– a hospital ship that carried injured men back home to New Zealand in WWI. Ships New Zealand’s naval ships have undertaken a range of tasks and operations.
