North Canterbury News: August 10, 2023
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NEWS<br />
The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>August</strong> <strong>10</strong>, <strong>2023</strong><br />
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Finally ... Nearly 60 years on from when he served, 89 year old Rod McKay received his<br />
New Zealand Defence Service medal at asmall ceremony held at Holmwood. His niece Toni<br />
McLean of Hanmer Springs was on hand to congratulate him.<br />
PHOTO: JOHNCOSGROVE<br />
Service recognised<br />
Rangiora retiree RodMcKay has received<br />
recognitionofhis service in the New<br />
ZealandArmedForces —60yearson.<br />
The 89yearold Holmwood Care Centre<br />
residenthad his NewZealandDefence<br />
Service medal pinnedtohis chest on<br />
Mondaybythe Padre of the Rangiora<br />
branch of theNew ZealandReturned<br />
Services Association, Bill Peck.<br />
Rod recalls his CompulsoryMilitary<br />
Training (CMT)commitment as one of the<br />
besttimes of hislife as ayoung man.<br />
‘‘I learnt so much fromthe experience<br />
thathas stayed with me allmylife,’’ he<br />
says.<br />
‘‘I wentfromworkingasamechanic in<br />
Christchurch and <strong>North</strong><strong>Canterbury</strong> to<br />
workinginamongthe Sutherlands and<br />
Catalinas at Hobsenville air base in<br />
Auckland.<br />
He saystohim, Auckland Cityseemed to<br />
go on forever.<br />
‘‘I was workinginthe transportsection<br />
and Ilearnthow to strip and assemble<br />
truck andcar engines.<br />
‘‘CMT taughtmealot anditalso taught<br />
me how to liveand how to get on with<br />
life,’’ he says.<br />
He saidhecan still recallhow to pull<br />
the headofaWillyssedandespite it being<br />
60 yearsago.<br />
In asmall service held in front of other<br />
residents at Holmwood, Rob acceptedhis<br />
medal accompaniedbyfamily and<br />
friends.<br />
Family fromChristchurch and Hanmer<br />
Springs attended as didstafffromthe<br />
Plough Hotel, which is Rod’slocal.<br />
Plough Hotel staff memberTrista<br />
Poumalesaid Rodcomesdownevery<br />
Tuesday evening on hisrideon,for a<br />
couple of sevens and anip.<br />
‘‘He’s been going theresince before<br />
most of thebar staffwere even born,’’ she<br />
says.<br />
‘‘He has his special seat at the end of the<br />
barand we alllove Teapot.’’<br />
Rod’s nicknameofTeapot spawned<br />
when he first startedvisitingthe Plough<br />
back in the early 1980s.<br />
‘‘Iwas wearing one of my favouritehats<br />
andabarman said‘Hey! Teapotstill<br />
wearingyour teacosey.’<br />
‘‘My friends heard it and thename<br />
stuck.’’<br />
Rod's hatsare wellknowninthe area as<br />
he knitsthemall by himself using an old<br />
Singer knitting machine.<br />
He says it wasatalenthepicked up<br />
from hislatemother Helen McKay.<br />
‘‘Shegot me interested in knittingwhen<br />
shebought aknitting machine thatdidn’t<br />
work properly.<br />
‘‘Ipulled it apart andfixed it up thenI<br />
learnt howtomakebeanies, hats,jerseys<br />
andblankets.’’<br />
Staff at thePlough say Rod's collection<br />
of colourfulhats is legendary,and every<br />
staff memberhas several.<br />
‘‘Thereare even acouple of knitted<br />
bikinis floatingaround,’’one of the staff<br />
says.<br />
RangioraRSA president IanThompson<br />
said he wasproud to havehanded Rodhis<br />
medal.<br />
‘‘We are veryappreciative of the staff<br />
here at Holmwood who made this all<br />
happen.<br />
‘‘We werethere to recognise the service<br />
Aircraftsman Roderick McKay undertook<br />
in the early 1960s as partofhis<br />
CompulsoryMilitary Training<br />
commitment.’’<br />
Iansaysthere arethousands of former<br />
servicemen and womenwho qualify for<br />
the2011New ZealandDefence Service<br />
medal andmanyhaveyet to puttheir<br />
handsup.<br />
‘‘We would encourage themand their<br />
familiestoseekitout as theydeserve it.’’<br />
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