History Cape Expedition

1 history

1.1 stations
1.2 coastwatching
1.3 results

history

it suspected 6,000-ton german merchant vessel erlangen, had sailed dunedin, supposedly australia, on 26 august 1939 – shortly before war had been declared in europe – had, instead, supplemented meagre coal reserves timber auckland islands , headed south america. suspicion later confirmed when first coastwatchers in program found areas of newly cut southern rata forest @ carnley harbour on auckland island. moreover, loss of ships ss holmwood , ms rangitane german raiders in november 1940 gave rise suspicion raiders using subantarctic islands bases.

the cape expedition program managed public works department s aerodrome services branch. auxiliary schooner tagua, carrying first contingent of coastwatchers, sailed wellington on 5 march 1941. ship reached aucklands on 10 march , sheltered in natural harbour of port ross before proceeding carnley harbour, arriving there on 13th.

the stations

three stations established, @ ranui cove in port ross @ northern end, , @ carnley harbour @ southern end, of auckland island, , @ perseverance harbour, campbell island. stations small, 4 men (increased 5 in second year) @ each. @ first coastwatchers civilians, attested privates in new zealand army december 1942.

the stations consisted of portable prefabricated huts double plywood walls , double windows. each station had dinghy outboard motor. because understood resupplying them problematic , sporadic, stations provided 3 years supply of food, clothing , other consumables. larger vessel, 57-ton mv ranui crew of four, based @ waterfall inlet in aucklands serve link between stations and, in emergency, outside world.

coastwatching

early instructions coastwatchers emphasised concealment, emergency radios set in scrub near each station. primary task of keeping eyes on sea ships, men (no women involved) carried out surveys, took weather measurements, , made observations on wildlife of islands. each station made radio contact daily new zealand, @ staggered times minimise risk of presence becoming known. men relieved yearly, though few repeated tours of duty; 2 of them spent 3 years on islands, naturalist j.h. sorensen spending 4 years on campbell island.

a popular recreational activity, supplied fresh meat supplement preserved food rations, hunting introduced species of wildlife on islands. on auckland island there wild pigs and, on enderby island, wild cattle , blue rabbits. on campbell island feral sheep provided high quality lamb , mutton.

results

although no enemy ships sighted during duration of program, secondary work carried out coastwatchers proved successful. june 1942 stations began reporting weather conditions daily; reports valuable in third year of program trained meteorologists joined relief parties. surveyors, geologists , naturalists became part of program, during fourth , fifth years of special party of 3 completed survey of island groups. when coastwatchers demobilised on 15 october 1945 , withdrawn, campbell island station retained part of new zealand s weather forecasting service. many of scientific results garnered through work of cape expedition’s coastwatchers later published new zealand department of scientific , industrial research in cape expedition series of bulletins.