Sound: Peter Renshaw describes the war in the Pacific

Hear Peter Renshaw talk about his experiences in the Pacific during the Second World War.

Transcript

And what about service in the Pacific? Do you think that that was recognised?

I don't think it has been. I don't think people realise just what we'd done you know. See, where we went, we were actually, that [Mono] was actually the first opposed landing since Gallipoli, I don't think that was, it was a tough one. people didn't realise that, you know. I suppose we expected to be recognised for what we'd done, put it that way, and we felt we weren't.

And I used to bump into some of my mates and oh, you know, I, we used to, sometimes used to kind of drink in the old Grand Hotel along Willis Street. I don't know if you remember where that was. We'd be in there drinking, and we'd talk about where we?d been, and that sort of thing and, and we always had this, all had this feeling that we should have been given more recognition.

The Pacific people?

Yes, yes.

So why do you think that was?

I don't really know. We hadn't seen as much action as we would have done if we'd gone to the Middle East I suppose.

So did you feel that the people who were in the Middle East and later Italy were more recognised than you?

You could say that. Yeah, you could say that I think.

Peter Renshaw

Hear Peter Renshaw .

Community contributions

3 comments have been posted about Sound: Peter Renshaw describes the war in the Pacific

What do you know?

Mike Renshaw

Posted: 24 Apr 2020

Peter (basil) Renshaw is my Grandfather. As a child I was aware of his service in ww2. We regularly attended and marched with him at the Anzac dawn service. I now know what an honour, and privilege it was to march with him.
RIP grandad, we will remember you, and your fellow returned servicemen, and those that were killed in action.

Bob Renshaw

Posted: 29 Sep 2010

I am his second eldest son. He was very proud of his war experiences. He passed away and on 28 September, the Upper Hutt RSA gave a very special send off to Dad. As a son, I have often wondered how many of my generation, or of my children's generation, would jump out of a landing craft to secure a beach head knowing full well we could be killed. It was thanks to his generation's sacrifice that we will never know the answer.