Palmerston North Returned
and Services Association (2014) Inc
24 Linton Street, Palmerston North 4440
Venue: Bowls PN, PNRSA Club evenings at the Bowls Lounge 4.30pm on Wednesday’s.
Office days: Monday and Friday 1.00pm – 3.00pm. Except Public Holidays
NO EFTPOS AVAILABLE AT OUR OFFICE
Website: www.pnrsa.org.nz PNRSA Email: rsa@inspire.net.nz Office Phone 354 8271
October Newsletter
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Members please note:
There is important information in this early Newsletter regarding
Cook’s Night Off and Christmas Lunch
Read Joe Hollanders account of his King’s Birthday Honour
I also would like to welcome Inside The Wire a very informative newsletter from Base Ohakea
Craig George, Editor
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2026-27 Membership Subscriptions are now due
$35 for members under 80 years of age.
$20 for members over 80 years of age and widows of Returned or Service Members, up to 90 years of age.
Free for members over 90 years of age and serving New Zealand Defence Force or New Zealand Police members. (Request these members contact us and register their interest in retaining membership).
You can either pay in cash by visiting the office during opening hours (Correct cash only – no eftpos available) or via internet banking to our ANZ account 06-0746-0384063-00 for the Palmerston North RSA (2014) Inc.
Please remember to include your name and 4-digit membership number as reference when paying via internet banking so as we can identify who the payment relates to.
Thank you to those that have already paid.
Brian Gemmell,
Treasurer.
Please email our Secretary, Rosemary Hollander at rsa@inspire.net.nz for ALL your questions.
Already paid? Your Membership Card maybe available on Wednesday night or at our office please ring before you go to collect.
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PNRSA WELFARE TRUST
9am - 11am Tuesdays at the Senior Citizens Lounge
opposite the Globe Theatre, Main Street, Palmerston North
Albie Armstrong 06 358 6881 ~ Trevor Gillbanks 022 105 2316
~ Volunteers Required ~
The Palmerston North RSA Welfare Trust are looking for Volunteers:
We require Volunteers for Hospital Visits, Rest Homes and also people to assist with Poppy Day.
If you are interested, please call into the Senior Citizens Lounge, Palmerston North
on any Tuesday between 9 and 11am.
Or contact Trevor 022 105 2316 or Evan 027 647 4337
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Joe Hollander receives King’s Birthday honour
I was very privileged to receive the award of Member of the NZ Order of Merit (MNZM) at an investiture in Wellington on Wednesday 16 September 2026, as a result of my inclusion in the King’s Birthday Honours List this year.
It was a wonderful experience for my family and me at Government House (GH).
Her Excellency, The Governor General, The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, GNZM, QSO, and GH staff were wonderful hosts, made us most welcome and looked after us very well. They made a fuss of our teenage granddaughters, and it was a very memorable occasion and experience for us all.
The official citation for the award is below:
For services to the construction industry and the community
“Mr Joe Hollander has contributed to the governance of many organisations in the construction industry and has been active in his community.
Mr Hollander has held governance roles for many professional organisations working to improve the construction industry, including the New Zealand Green Building Council, the Building Research Association of New Zealand, and Site Safe New Zealand.
He is a founding member of the New Zealand Organisation for Quality, where he has contributed to quality management and best practice for businesses.
He was founding Chair of the Construction Clients Group. He has held governance roles with community organisations, including the New Zealand Institute of Management and NZIM Foundation, the Palmerston North Enterprise Trust, and has been heavily involved with Scouts Aotearoa and the RSA for more than 50 years.
He has been a Justice of the Peace since 1995, serving on the Central Districts Justices of the Peace Association in several roles, including as President from 2015 to 2017.
He was the Ministerial Education and Training convenor for five years and has been an Issuing Officer since 2012.
Mr Hollander chairs the Palmerston North Defence Heritage Advisory Group and led the establishment of the Royal New Zealand Engineer Corps Charitable Trust and the Engineer Corps Memorial Centre at Linton Military Camp, which he now runs.”
See attached photos
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PNRSA Portfolios 2026/2027
President: Peter Hurly
Vice President: Rosemary Hollander
Treasurer: Brian Gemmell
Secretary: Rosemary Hollander
Membership: Bruce Willis & Gordon Smith
Activities Convenor: Marj Fox
Raffles: Murray Batten
Newsletter & Media: Craig George
Service Graves Restoration: Bruce Willis
Military Heritage: Joe Hollander
Women’s Section: Val Lamb
Linton Camp Liaison: William Pomana
Ohakea Base Liaison: Stephen (Taff) Cotterell
Web Master: Al Hollins
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Check out the PNRSA Website to see if I have taken your photo!
All recent events have been loaded onto our Website. https://pnrsa.org.nz
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PNCC MILITARY HERITAGE/HISTORY, ANNIVERSARY AND COMMEMORATION PROGRAMME FOR 2026
This programme follows on from the approved and successful previous activity listings. It includes the military history presentations known as the “Evening Public Lecture Presentations” (EPLP) and the “Monthly Midday Military History Presentations” (MMMHP) series. There are also “Major City Events” as shown below and other related NZDF and military historical anniversaries, activities, and events. Rather than a five-year rolling programme, PNDHAG members decided in 2025 to follow the annual “RNZRSA Remembrance Calendar” and significant military commemorations and historical anniversaries. Separate invitations will follow and confirm dates, timings, and venues, together with any associated booking, RSVP and/or health and safety requirements.
Updated 2026 Programme:
20 Oct (Tue – EPLP) – 110th Anniversary – “From Romani to Rafa: NZ’s Forgotten Sinai Desert Campaign of 1916”, by LTCOL (Rtd) Prof Glyn Harper, QSM, PhD (Note topic change)
11 Nov (Wed - EPLP) – Remembrance Day – “110th Anniversary of the Engineer Tunnelling Company Operating on the Western Front”, by Peter Cooke, Renowned NZ Military Historian
26 Nov (Thu – MMMHP) - “60th Anniversary of 161 Battery, RNZA, Supporting 1 ATF at the Battle of Long Tan in Vietnam”, by WO1 (Rtd) Dave Hayward, MBE, MSM, RNZIR, former Sergeant Major of the NZ Army and Renowned NZ Author
MMMHP sessions are normally held at midday on the second Thu in each month, Feb through Nov 26. EPLP sessions are being held on Tue evenings in Mar, Apr, Sep, Oct and Nov 2026. All presentations will be held in the PN City Library Mezzanine Floor (unless advised otherwise). Other military history presentations by visiting historians and book launches/releases are also programmed throughout each year and will be advised separately. Event invite posters will confirm all timings and venues for these activities.
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COMING UP IN OCTOBER @ 4.30pm Wednesday Evenings
UPDATED INFORMATION UPDATED INFORMATION
This Wednesday 14 October
THOSE ATTENDING PLEASE MEET AT THE HILLTOP
AND NOT AT THE RSA
Dinner @ 6.30pm
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21 October Yap Yap
28 October Members Draw
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RSA CHRISTMAS LUNCH ~ CHANGE OF VENUE & TIME
Palmerston North Cosmopolitan Club
Sunday 13 December @12 noon
Menus will be available every Wednesday night for you to see
Confirmation of members attending will be taken soon.