Watty (or Wattie) Bird
Men from Takaka, Golden Bay, New Zealand
Photo from Nelson Photo News, No 14 : December 9, 1961
The photo was given to the Nelson Photo News by Ed Peacock who served on HMNZS Gambia and Leander. Pictured from the left are Bob Papps, Charlie Stade (Motueka), Ian Feary, Ed Peacock, Norm Anderson, Watty Bird, and Dixon. Another crew member, Bruce King, was on duty when this photo was taken.
Ian Feary, Bob Papps, Eddie Peacock and Watty Bird in 1991
The men knew each other as children, joined the services together in 1939, served on HMS Gambia when it fired the last shots of World War II, and are still friends.
From New Zealand Geographic, The End of the Rainbow, Issue 10, April/June 1991. Photo by Arno Gasteiger.
You may recognize the framed print they are holding. It was used as the cover of HMNZS Gambia by Jack S. Harker. Moana Press, New Zealand, 1989.
Watty served on HMNZS Gambia from 1944 to 1946. Watty was one of the shore party that took Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan in August 1945. In 2015, Watty was living at Takaka, Golden Bay, New Zealand. At one time he owned Bird's Milk Bar in Takaka.
Watty was one of the crewmen who were part of the RN/RM landing force from the ship that took the surrender of Yokosuka Naval Base on August 20, 1945. The platoon of Royal Marines were led by Captain Blake, RM and two platoons of seamen from Gambia with company headquarters under the command of Lieutenant-Commander G.R. Davis-Goff DSC, RNZN took the surrender of the Japanese Naval Base at Yokosuka. The men of the force included Watty Bird, James Murray and Jack Stuart.