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
September Newsletter
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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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~ Presidents Message ~
Greetings Everyone
Clocks have been set forward. But,… recurring theme….we are reminded that winter is not over yet and that the cold and flu season is certainly ongoing.
Sad news! Bruce Willis’ wife died suddenly last week. Our sincere condolences and thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time Bruce.
Elaine O’Brien is out of hospital and now is at Summerset Rest Home. Mike Oliver was taken to hospital last week and although he has yet to receive a definitive diagnosis, is back home and sounds quite chirpy. Also, Teresa Gillbanks was also taken to hospital and is currently in CCU.
Val Lamb and Gordon Smith continue to be house bound and Murray Batten had another bad turn. So, best wishes to all for a speedy recovery and ongoing help and care.
On a more welcome aspect, congratulations to our Joe Hollander who was invested recently as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit!! Well done Joe! A richly deserved honour! (See attached photo)
Well, the AGM is over and we had a good attendance with LTGEN Rhys Jones – as Chairman of the Board in attendance who gave us an updated resume of what is happening at a national level at present. Also in attendance were Mayor Grant Smith, GPCAPT Mark Whiteside and Lynn Parkin- Williams – Vice President of WWCT District. And of course, our patron BRIG Evan Torrance.
There were thirty attendees all together. The good news is we now have a Vice President and Rosemary Hollander has agreed to take over this role while still acting as our Secretary. Many thanks Rosemary and also thanks to those who will be serving on the Executive this next year.
We had a Cooks’ night off on 9 September with Gary Fryer’s Blackboard menu and an enjoyable evening. We have a further Cooks’ night off on 14 October at Hill Top Restaurant. Thanks to Marj Fox for organising those functions. December Christmas functions have been over booked at Bowls Palmerston North, so Marj has organised our Christmas lunch to take place this year on 13 December at 11.30am. at The Hokowhitu Café, (Manawatu Golf Club).
Thanks to Brian Gemmel for sorting out our issues with the IRD and further discussions are taking place with regard to the Poppy Places Trust.
We have also applied to be registered with SENTINEL This is a digital management system organised by RNZRSA to modernise and future proof our administration by providing a central platform to centralise data. It has the potential to link directly with case management systems used by Veterans’ Affairs.
Val Lamb continues to oversee the Womens’ Section and they celebrated their 80th birthday at Bowls Palmerston North on Monday 21 September. I think there were about 50 attendees. So, congratulations on the 80th birthday!
Just a small snippet on the Military History front:-
On 28 September 1899, Premiere Richard Seddon asked Parliament to approve the sending of a contingent of mounted rifleman to serve in South Africa at the time of the 2nd Anglo Boer War (now called the South African War.) a 215 man contingent was sent off from Wellington Harbour.
On 28 December, Pte George Bradford became the first New Zealand soldier to die in an overseas conflict. Eventually, New Zealand sent 6500 soldiers to South Africa and 8000 horses. 71 members were killed in action or died of wounds. 26 died as a result of accidents and 133 died as a result of illness.
On a personal level, I had great uncle who served with Robert’s Horse. He provided his own horse and at the end of the war had to shoot his horse because of the disease Rinderpest and the threat it would carry if exposed to local cattle on return. He was devastated he and his horse had been together for two years.
Well, that’s all for now. Don’t forget Members’ Draw this Wednesday.
Peter
PS He thought vice versa was a rude poem!
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Women’s Section
Val reported that there are 20 members, 13 of whom are members of the PNRSA. Membership has dropped in numbers over the last years. We have get-togethers on the third Monday of the month at the Senior Citizens Lounge on Main Street.
Our 80th Birthday Celebration were held on Monday 21 September.
For many years the Women’s Section supported the PNRSA with after funeral catering; raffles, social evenings, and visiting our Veterans and ill members. The Women’s Section is slowly winding down as many members are getting older.
Val acknowledged her Committee of Janet, Carole, Lorraine and Joy and her helpers for their work.
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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:
8 Oct (Thu - MMMHP) – “NZ Wars Month - 140th Anniversary of the Transfer of the Armed Constabulary to the Permanent Militia (by the Defence Act of 1886)”, by COL Dr Peter Wood, ONZM, NZ Army Standby Reserve
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
7 October Yap Yap
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14 October
COOKS NIGHT OFF
The Hilltop Restaurant @ 6.30pm
Booked for 25 people
Please see Marj on Wednesday night to confirm your attendance
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21 October Yap Yap
28 October Members Draw
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RSA CHRISTMAS LUNCH ~ RSA CHRISTMAS LUNCH
Hokowhitu Cafe, Manawatu Golf Club
Sunday 13 December @11.30am
Menus will be available every Wednesday night for you to see
Confirmation of members attending will be taken soon.