The guard is changing at RSA Review

RSA Review editor Bill Hopper says farewell

This edition is my last RSA Review. After seven and-a-half years occupying the editor's chair, the time has come for me to hand over command to former RNZAF Public Relations Officer Squadron Leader Paul Harrison RNZAF (Rtd).

Well qualified for the appointment, Paul comes from a long line of Harrisons that have seen much active military service. One of the family heirlooms is an original oil painting of 2nd Lieutenant John Harrison of the 16th Hussars at the Battle of Waterloo. His grandfather served in Palestine as a trooper in the Auckland Regiment during World War I and in the Second World War his father served in North Africa and Italy as a dispatch rider and driver mechanic with the Divisional Ammunition Company. Thirty-five years of RNZAF service with a tour of the Far East 1971-73, and a short tour of Somalia with a detachment of No. 42 Squadron Andovers in 1993 has been Paul's contribution. His eldest daughter Maree spent seven years in the RNZAF with a tour to East Timor in 2001.

Paul Harrison

Paul Harrison joined the RNZAF as a 16-year old in what was the last Boy Entrant intake in 1964 completing his Telegraphist training at Wigram, and was one of the first members of the RNZAF to be posted to the new ANZUK Force at Singapore.

In 1975 he was commissioned into the Engineering Branch of the RNZAF as a Communications Officer. During a posting to Wigram in the late 1970s, he was heavily involved in setting up the Historical Centre (later renamed RNZAF Museum) and was the project officer for restoring the Grumman Avenger.

While serving in Air Staff, recognition of his knowledge and expertise in the service's history saw him appointed as one of two Air Force Historical Research Officers.

After a short break in Civvy Street, Paul rejoined the RNZAF in mid-1986, as a communications officer and two years later was appointed Commanding Officer Defence Communications Unit in Wellington, at that time the largest tri-service unit within NZDF.

His wide experience and intimate knowledge of the history of the service made him a prime candidate for the new appointment of RNZAF Public Relations Officer in 1992.

One highlight early in his PRO duties was to visit Guadalcanal in November 1992 along with Air Force veterans, whose exploits in that theatre during WWII, were familiar to him. "To stand on this battle ground with those who had fought there, was a humbling experience," he recently recalled.

In 1995, Paul Harrison was commissioned to write the biography of Maurice Conly, the RNZAF's only official artist. This was a task tinged with sadness, as his close friend Maurice was seriously ill and died shortly before the book became available to the public.

The taste for formal authorship was now in his blood (he had produced several commemorative publications for the RNZAF's 50th anniversaries of key campaigns of WWII) and in 1997, a new book on the history of flying boats in New Zealand was completed with Brian Lockstone and Andy Anderson. He later co-authored with Brian Lockstone, a book on the services to New Zealand provided by the venerable DC3/C47 Dakota and another, a treatise on aviation in NZ over the past 100 years. Paul also contributed to the New Zealand Dictionary of Biography, and the Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History.

From 1999 until his retirement from the RNZAF in October 2000, he was the Air Force's Webmaster, looking after the development and maintenance of this new form of promoting the service to the outside world and also continued his role as the Air Force's chief consultant for the selection of markings and serial numbers for RNZAF aircraft.

Since retirement, Paul has been running his own business involving computer graphics, public relations (he is a member of the National Executive of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand), working with the Flying Instructor Council of the Royal New Zealand Aero Clubs, as assistant editor (editorial) for New Zealand Aviation News, and as PRO for the National Rescue Coordination Centre. It is in this role that his voice and face are probably familiar, as he explains via the media, the Centre's activities during major searches.

Paul resides at Paraparaumu, with wife Averil, younger daughter Melonie, two cats and a dog and is a service member of Paraparaumu RSA.

It is with a tinge of sadness that I retire from the editorship of RSA Review. Although I have not met all of my contributors, I feel I have made many personal friends over the years, albeit mostly by courtesy of NZ Post and email.

There's Des Hall, Jack Ingham, Ernie Cox, Peter Leslie who spends every second week on an oil platform in the middle of the North Sea, my old Sydney-domiciled tomodachi from J Force days Ben Furby, the NZDF Chiefs and their advisers. There're so many, it is impossible to name them all.

I feel honoured that so many veterans have made the effort to share their experiences with me and that I have been able to pass them on, via Review, to the total RSA membership. Without your interest and goodwill, RSA Review could not exist and I thank you all most sincerely for your contributions.

I must also thank RNZRSA President David Cox, Chief Executive Pat Herbert, NEC and the staff at RNZRSA Headquarters for their unstinting support and assistance.

The last seven and a half years have been a challenging and fascinating period in my life - sometimes frustrating, but never dull.

Although I have relinquished the editorship of RSA Review, I have not entirely deserted the cause, I will still be around for a while yet wearing my other hat as Public Relations Officer for RNZRSA.

Good luck Paul - you've got the con.