Ashburton Courier: October 07, 2021

NEWS
2 Ashburton Courier, October 7, 2021
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2388023
Event uncertainty continues
MICK.JENSEN
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Business bounced back in
the first six monthsof2021,
but covid continues to offer
uncertainty for the
entertainment industry
going forward, says
Ashburton Trust Event
Centre(ATEC)manager
Roger Farr.
The last 18 months had
been trying and hard for
everyone in the industry
and, in all likelihood, the
challenges wereset to
continue until at leastthe
end of the year.
Six months of good
tradinginthe first half of
From bomber pilot to farmer
From Page 1
After getting his wings Colin
Crampton wassent to England on a
merchant ship loaded with meat.
‘‘It took quite awhiletoget to the
UK because we went across the
Pacificand through the Panama
Canal which was fairly unusual,’’he
said.
‘‘It was marvellous.’’
One night as theship made its way
across the Atlanticthe alarms were
sounded.
‘‘In the middle of the night the
sirens went off because there was a
‘bandit’ which meantanenemy
submarine so we were thinking this is
it boys,but it was afriend, aBritish
sub.’’
Once in Britain the trainingstarted
again.
‘‘Bit more TigerMoth, abit more
Oxford, Iwas evenonabombing
range with Typhoons.’’
Colin soon discovered trainingcan
be as dangerous as combat.
‘‘I was beinginstructedhow to do
an emergencylanding with one
motor, but my instructorgot abit low
didn't he, Ialmost grabbed the stick
because Iwas surewewould hit
something, and sure we hitall right
but we werelucky it wasanold stone
fence, we didn't crash,managedtogo
aroundagain, they hadthe meat cart
ready for us,’’ he said.
‘‘Thatwas endofmetraining with
that joker,Ihadlostfaith.’’
After being told he could fly well, 19
year oldColin got apromotion anda
Wellington bombertopilot along with
acrew, some of which were ahigher
this calendar year had
been very welcome and had
led by community events,
Mr Farr said.
Unlikeothervenues
around the country, ATEC
did not rely primarily on
touring shows for its
income.
For international and
nationalpromoterstoput
on shows those shows
needed certainty and were
only viable under Level 1.
Over the recent lockdown
four events at ATEC had
been cancelled and a
numerous bookings
shifted,insome casesfor
the third or fourth time, Mr
Farr said.
Colin Crampton.
GETCRAFTYTHESE HOLIDAYS
30%
OFF
The Government needed
to put in firmer timelines
for restriction levels,
otherwise the situation
would continue.
‘‘It seemscrazy that a
shoppingmall with
thousands of people in
close passingcontact is
able to operate,yet avenue
with acapacity of 500 that
has aguaranteed track and
trace record through ticket
sales and where patrons
are seatedand usheredin,
has alimit of 100.’’
One trend of covid had
seen patronsput off
purchasing ticketsuntil
close to the event date.
That delay caused stress
PHOTO DANIEL TOBIN
rank and moreexperienced.
‘‘The jokers seemed to have faithin
me, so that was good, one guyhad
done atour of operationsinthe
Pacific buthis language was abit hot
for the WAF’s (Women in the Air
Force).’’
Althoughthe war hadfinished in
Europe, theJapanese held outinthe
Pacific so the crew trained as though
art&craft
supplies from
and
212 East Street,Ashburton. Phone 308 8309
for promoters because they
did not know how many
would attend a
performance and for
venues that had to put staff
rosters together.
‘‘While the industry
generallyunderstandsthe
reason for restricted
numbers, it flies in the face
of what the industry is all
about ­bringing people
together to enjoy each
others companyin asocial
environment.’’
The industry understood
it needed to adapttonew
‘‘norms’’ and initiatives up
for discussion includedthe
vaccine passports for entry
to venues,MrFarr said.
on missions and practiced dropping
bombs.
‘‘We were goingtogointo abigger
bomber, bigger than the
superfortress, but that never
happened because then they dropped
theatomicbomb,and bang it wasall
over, the war ended.’’
Reflecting on missingcombat Colin
said ‘‘more than likely Iwouldn't be
aliveifwehad gone to war, you took
your life in your hands.
‘‘There were several pilots Iknew
whenIwas at Wigram whowenttothe
Pacific andnevercame back.’’
After the war he resumed his
insurance job in Wellington,but
beingstuck in an office no longer
suitedhim, andhereturnedtothe
family farm where is mother still
lived.
‘‘I wantedtomake afresh start,’’ he
said.
He meet hislate­wife Alison while
ploughing at his uncle’s farm,and
purchased asheep and cropfarm at
Rokeby between Rakaia and Barrhill.
He andAlison stayed there for
more than 60 years, and raised their
only child Frank.
Colin named the farmWindrush
afterthe airfieldinthe UK where he
had aclose call withthe stone fence
during the war.
Colin retiredaround 15 yearsago,
andheand Alison moved to
Ashburton.
Sincethen Colin had lost both
Alison, andson Frank whichhad
been hard, but he was keeping
himself occupied in the garden,
reading, chatting with friends and
continuing his regular walks.
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