Gallery – Polish refugees in New Zealand

Back (l-r): Jadwiga Bryl, Jadwiga Pawelec, Danuta Śmietana, Anna Butrymowicz, Maria Piotrkowska, Barbara Szymanik, Halina Sawlewicz Standing (l-r): Anna Stocka, Zuzanna Puczko, Maria Petryna, Zofia Kaczorowska, Genowefa Adamczyk, (hidden), Leokadia Kołodzińska, Olga Guc, Irena Iwanek, Jadwiga Kulik, Stefania Benasiewicz Kneeling (l-r): Helen Rombel, Danuta Łubgań, Łucja Płachecka, Olga Janiuk, Maria Kruk, Wanda Pietrasińska (seated), Krystyna Wojtowicz, Maria Skiba Sitting (l-r): Genowefa Bełza, Alina Zioło, Halina Rypniewska, Janina Łabędź, Janina Brejnakowska, Zofia Żak, Aleksandra Wawryka, Stanisława Błażków, Danuta Zagrobelna

Standing (l-r): Aniela Adach, Stefania Nawalaniec, Jadwiga Świerczyńska, Weronika Woźniak, Janina Szałkowska, Katarzyna Piesocka, Stanisława Świerczyńska, Stanisława Drozdowska, Bronisława Lis, Helen Kasprzyk, Waleria Merwid Kneeling (l-r): Janina Marchewa, Maria Mokrzycka, Maria Kozyniak, Józefa Wrotniak, Jadwiga Haptaś, Genowefa Dźwiniel, Jadwiga Szczapa, Krystyna Manterys, Maria Tinald, Janina Dąbrowska Sitting: Antonina Wołyncewicz

l-r: Stefania Mokrzycka, Alicja Tarnowska, Maria Wrotniak, Leokadia Bełczącka, Helena Kilian, Jadwiga Jankiewicz, Anna Depa, Salomea Szymczycha, Anna Zazulak, Olga Szulgan (rear), Anastazja (Zofia) Adamczyk, Zofia Pacanowska

A group of girls perform their chores at Pahiatua Camp

Standing (l-r): Genowefa Łukomska, Irena Szadkowska, Hugh McKinnon, Jadwiga Korszuń, Teresa Wypych, Paulina Dybka, (hidden), Władysława Kubiak, Maria Wysokińska, Wanda Wierzbińska, (hidden), Maria Buberda, Daunta Dębska, Paulina Jania, Maria Depczyńska, Teresa Szczepańska, Czesława Wierzbińska Kneeling (l-r): Maria Juchnowicz, Augustyna Aniecka, Jadwiga Gil, Wanda Dejnakowska, Franciszka Węgrzyn, Maria Dac, Felicja Nadolska Sitting (l-r): Emilia Banaś, Aleksandra Kraczko, Izabela Wiśniewska, Czesława Gazdowicz, Zdzisława Kołodziej, Genowefa Pękalska

Standing (l-r): Maria Korczak-Bucewicz, Irena Iwan, Czesława Mokrzycka, Genowefa Knap, Olga Piesocka, Helena Świerdłowicz, Janina Śmietana, Eleonora Pruszyńska, Magdalena Kowalczyk, Renata Kazimierzak, Krystyna Gołębiowska, Jadwiga Walasiewicz, Irena Staniszewska, Mary Eising Kneeling (l-r): Irena Tabisz, Irena Żołnowska, Zyta Bąk, Danuta Zioło Sitting (l-r): Anna Przychodźko, Teresa Ogonowska, Maria Woźniak, Eugenia Pracz, Stefania Serdyńska, Władysława Pilarska, Genowefa Apanowicz, Helena Przychodźko

Back (l-r): Władysława Węgrzyn, Stefania Pieczonka, Olga Sumicz, Krystyna Siadek, Wanda Płusa, Aniela Gabrysz, Irena Wasiukiewicz, Zofia Demkowska, Irena Banach, Helen Pilarska Middle (l-r): Bronisława Dziama, Emilia Sondej, Irena Niedumów, Regina Nowacka, Eugenia Sajewicz, Stefania Pracz, Leokadia Głogowska, Stefania Wrotniak, Eleonora Pruszyńska, Janina Dźwiniel Front (l-r): Teresa Sztychmiller, Danuta Jankiewicz, Zofia Pleciak, Maria Jania, Weronika Potem, Zofia Łuszczewska, Irena Chaber

A group of staff and older girls, some of whom were already employed in the camp (kitchen, laundry, sewing, nursing). Back (l-r): Olga Sumicz, Stanisława Drozdowska, Janina Krystman, Bronisława Lis, Józefa Wypych, Janina Szałkowska, Maria Mokrzycka, Helen Szymulska Front (l-r): Aniela Adach, Maria Zazulak, Maria Ambroziewicz, Helena Wenckiewicz, Maria Zielińska, Rozalia Manterys, Stefania Rombel, Zofia Kołodzińska

The sewing room made the camp more self sufficient and gave practical experience to the older girls, some of whom would rather have been given the opportunity to study. It operated from November 1944 to January 1946. l-r: Stefania Nawalaniec, Maria Mokrzycka, Helena Kasprzyk, Krystyna Bojda, Krystyna Manterys, Zofia Kornobis, Regina Kupis, Józefa Wypych, Wiktoria Wypych, Helen Kraczko (front)

Top: Helena Świerdłowicz Middle (l-r): Jadwiga Walasiewicz, Maria Woźniak Bottom (l-r): Magdalena Kowalczyk, Wanda Pieszczoch, Irena Iwan

The camp's vehicle fleet outside the garage. The fleet was maintained by New Zealand Army personnel.

The grotto was built in 1945 on the camp's northern side by the Polish refugee children who each brought a stone from the nearby Mangatainoka River. It was a focal point for the children. By 1975 it was a ruin, so some of its remaining stones were reused in the plinth of the new memorial statue.

Back (l-r): Janina Łabędź, Jadwiga Wasiukiewicz, Stanisława Markowska, Antonina Wołyncewicz, Leokadia Jackowska, Genowefa, Adamczyk, Barbara Szczepańska, Halina Wenckiewicz Middle (l-r): Emilia Sordel, Irena Frydrych, Anna Jabłońska, Barbara Sprusińska, Alicja Wiśniewska, Alicja Głowacka, Jolanta Wenckiewicz Front (l-r): Bronisława Jasionowicz, Danuta Szysz, Alfreda Kornobis, Olga Sajewicz, Ewa Wierzbicka

Cztery Janiny obchodzą imieniny (four Janinas celebrate their name day), 24 June 1946. l-r: Stefania Nawalaniec, Maria Zazulak, Janina Świerczyńska (seated), Rozalia Manterys, Janina Szałkowska, Janina Krystman, Bronisława Lis, Petronela Ostrowska, Stanisława Świerczyńska, Jadwiga Świerczyńska, Maria Wojciechowska, Janina Kornobis (seated), Krystyna Manterys

The altar in the camp's chapel. The picture of Our Lady was moved to St Joachim's church in Berhampore, Wellington, where it continued to be venerated.

The camp's main assembly hall where concerts and dances were held, important visitors entertained, films screened and Masses celebrated.

Another welcoming party of New Zealand children wave to the Polish children as they pass by on the train to Pahiatua.

The youngest children in Pahiatua camp on their way to the dining room with Stanisława Lewandowska, who was dedicated to looking after them on their journey to New Zealand and at the camp. She was affectionately called the "white mother" because she always wore a white coat and was a like a mother to the youngest children.

The Zdhanov, overloaded with Polish refugees, took them from Krasnovodsk in the Soviet Union in 1942. Many didn't survive the journey and died on board due to exhaustion, deprivation and disease from the years in Soviet forced-labour camps.

Waiting to board the Sontay in Khorramshahr, Iran, October 1944

A scale model of the camp in the Pahiatua Museum which was prepared for the 50th anniversary of the Polish children's arrival.

A composite view from the watchtower. Ulica Sikorskiego (Sikorski street) on the left and ulica Bora-Komorowskiego (Bor-Komorowski Street) on the right, 1945.

With their worldly possessions on their backs, the children disembark at Pahiatua Railway Station on 1 November 1944. One of the oldest Polish staff members Bolesław Jankiewicz (middle with hat) helps them along.

June 1999, Stefania (left) and Józef Zawada (right) stand outside the Pahiatua Children's Camp's old gymnasium building, which is now in Naenae College, Lower Hutt. The college was built in the 1950s when the camp's buildings were being sold or relocated.

May 1997. Inside the kitchen at Kopua Monastery, Hawke's Bay, which was once one of the buildings at the camp. l-r: Stefania Zawada, Józef Zawada, a Kopua Monastery Monk, Mieczysław Zawada

The field in 2004 where the Polish Children's Camp in Pahiatua once stood.

The New Zealand soldiers returning home from the war on the USS General Randall helped to look after the children on the two-week voyage from Mumbai, India.

The end of a very long journey. Bedtime for new arrival Henryk Dziura in the Pahiatua camp's dormitory. All the youngest children were treated with the same care on that first day.

The new arrivals line up for their first meal at the camp. 2nd from left: Rudolf Szymczycha, Ryszard Nowacki, Józef Wnęk

More than 100 women from various organisations, including Plunket and the Red Cross, made the beds for the arrival of the Polish children to the camp.