Mr Ron Hooton

Thornton, Mr Bowron and Mr Hooton in the observation post

Mr Hooton is a local resident who knows a lot about the War and our area.  Mr Hooton came with us to JF Kennedy Park to inspect the observation post and gun emplacements. Then we went underground in the tunnels to see some pillboxes.  After JF Kennedy Park, Mr Hooton took us to Campbell's Bay beach to see more pillboxes.  Before we started this project we didn't know what a pillbox was. Now we know a lot about them.

This is a map he gave us showing Mairangi Bay, Campbell's Bay and Castor Bay. The dots show where the pillboxes are, that the army used to hide in with their guns.

These pictures are of the pillboxes at Campbell's Bay beach in October 2003.

The first pillbox could fit about three people. It was about 90cm long and 45cm high. Pillbox two was almost the same but it was surrounded by trees, bush and vines. The door is narrow and high.  The view is good enough to shoot the Japanese but nobody shot anybody. They were very cold inside.

Mr Hooton knows where every pillbox in New Zealand is.  He has even been overseas to talk to people about our pillboxes.  He took us down to Campbell's Bay beach and had arranged for us to go in to Mr Buttle's private garden and see his pillboxes.  Mr Buttle wasn't home, but we saw what a great view the soldiers had, peering out of the window holes. 

Trenches were dug near Campbell's Bay Beach, but now they are just part of the creek. There were holes in the rocks where the barbed wire fences used to be.

Mr Hooton remembered when he was a child being told that his neighbour's son was killed in the war in Crete.  It was very sad.  That was the only person he knew who died.  He has been studying New Zealand pillboxes for many years.

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