Author: Patricia Stroud
Publisher: HarperCollins (NZ)
RRP: $26.99

In April this year Patricia Stroud’s second book, Caesar, the true story of a canine ANZAC hero was published. It was as a result of her earlier children’s book Caesar the ANZAC Dog, and completes the history of much of the New Zealand forces involved in the fighting on the western front, at Gallipoli and the near East.

But as Patricia explained to me, her first book was actually the result of a play she began writing. “It was about women in general, and my grandmother in particular following the experiences of the First World War. What they had to go through was just as terrible in many respects. In particular the huge outbreak of ‘flu not only killed so many civilians, it also killed many soldiers who had survived. Think of the ghastly tragedy of having survived the battles on the Somme, coming home to family and loved ones, and then succumbing to ‘flu. In the case of my Great Uncle, John Tooman, he was engaged before he left for France. He did return home, but never had the chance to marry his sweetheart as he died during the epidemic.”

Patricia is a volunteer of long-standing at the War Memorial Museum, and has also recently become curator at the Silverdale RSA museum. She laughed about this latter role – “It’s an organisational role, but it is incredibly easy. I simply say to my team of boys – average age about 80 – ‘please do this’ and it is done!”

Whether it is as a result of her hard work as a volunteer or not, Patricia obviously has an eye for the deeper details of history. She is a fund of tales of incredible courage that have touched her in many respects. She recalled an incident involving POWs in the Second World War for example. “The Japanese had locked up all the Red Cross medical supplies and wouldn’t let the prisoners have them. They were all in a bad state, and those supplies were essential if any more prisoners were to survive. The CO asked for five volunteers, knowing that stealing of any kind would be an instant death sentence to any prisoner caught. The five unhesitatingly volunteered again next day. So they went ahead, and were successful. After the war the CO asked for five VCs for them, but of course as it was not during combat they weren’t eligible. In fact they had no recognition at all, which is so sad.”

During August 1945, a young Japanese pilot was scheduled to fly on his Kamikaze mission. “It was the 5th of August,” Patricia explained, “and his Zero aircraft developed some malfunction. As a result his mission was put off. The next day the first Atom bomb was dropped and his mission was effectively cancelled for good. He survived and became a professor, and his Zero aircraft now sits in the War Memorial Museum – obviously there is a long tale as to how it got there.”

“But you’d better come to the Museum and see for yourself!”

I found Patricia to be very humble about her writing and insights. “I find the Museum has fired my imagination a lot. But really I feel as if I have just honoured all those brave men, and women. It has put me in touch with so many interesting, and brave people – many of whom have never talked properly of their experiences.”

Within a busy life, Patricia has found time to teach pottery, which, like gardening she has found very therapeutic. I do hope, however, she fulfils her promise to complete her play this year. Given her eye for the details of history she has uncovered by raking through all the diaries, archives and documents available, I for one, thoroughly look forward to it.