World War 2 comrades recall days of hunting submarines<p> - Bay of Plenty Times - 2008-03-13 05:01:00.0 - localnews IT HAS been more than 60 years since Colin Poppelwell was a seaman on a Fairmile sub-hunter boat in World War 2. But he and his surviving comrades from the fleet's 12 boats recall it like it was yesterday. They gathered at Mount Maunganui RSA yesterday to reminisce over their days hunting enemy submarines, both in New Zealand waters and later in the Solomon Islands. "It's great to renew old friendships," said Mr Poppelwell, as he and his old mates - all in their eighties - marked the occasion with a glass of black rum. Mr Poppelwell was an original crew member on the Q409 in Auckland, where the Fairmiles were built, completing working up trials around the Hauraki Gulf before sailing to Wellington to conduct submarine patrols off the Wellington Heads, later serving in the Solomons. The group of about 25 Royal New Zealand Navy returned servicemen and family members yesterday heard the story of the unlikely resting place of the one of the Fairmiles, which has now been transformed into a five-suite motel at Waitomo. Passionate about preserving New Zealand history, Waitomo Woodlyn Park owner Barry Woods (aka Billy Black) bought the 60 tonne, 34 metre-long boat in Tauranga in June 2006, preserving the original hull of the vessel - formerly used as the Auckland to Waiheke ferry. Wartime memories were stirred as Mr Woods shared the trials of the boat's restoration and the difficult journey from Tauranga Harbour to its own island on his property. His captive audience, who had lived in crews of 16 on the Fairmiles and knew every inch of them, were able to explain the design and what different areas of the boat was used for. Mr Woods said he had come to the reunion to gather information on the history or the Fairmiles so it could then be preserved and passed on. "That's why I'm here, it's quite sad that this history is not being preserved." Mr Woods plans to hang a photo of the Q-406, pictured on Auckland Harbour, and a written explanation of her history on the wall inside the restored boat. http://ww2chat.com/forums/ship-vess...960-fairmile-class-sub-hunters.html#post12703
