Managers of New Zealand Post Office radio stations were in the early days referred to as Officers in Charge, then later as Superintendents, and finally as Managers.
Officers in Charge
ALM Willis, 18 Dec 1913 – 31 Mar 1914. More
John L Davies, 1 Apr 1914 – 9 Aug 1914. More
WRH (Harry) Clarke, 1 Oct 1914 – 10 Jan 1915. More
John L Davies, 11 Jan 1915 – 11 Dec 1917. More
WFC (Frank) Whiteman, 12 Dec 1917 – 14 Feb 1921. More
Superintendents
LH (Les) Steel, 21 Jan 1921 – 28 Oct 1926. More
James H Hampton, 29 Oct 1926 – 19 Apr 1929. More
AW (Hec) Head, 1 Apr 1929 – 29 Mar 1945. More
Laurie G Emens, 18 Apr 1945 – 1 Apr 1947. More
WA Wallace, 4 Aug 1947 – 5 Dec 1954. More
J Houlihan, 4 Jan 1955 – 31 Mar 1958. More
JU (Jack) Bonisch, 1 Apr 1958 – 10 Apr 1965. More
James B Dolan, 22 Jun 1965 – 15 Aug 1966. More
Elvin (Ellie) Ellenden, 1 Sep 1966 – 5 Mar 1971. More
JF (Jack) Ryan, 24 May 1971 – 18 Jan 1974. More
H John Milne, 13 Feb 1974 – 20 May 1974. More
Managers
Charles A Glennie, 4 Jul 1974 – 18 May 1976. More
JT (Jim) Dudley, 24 Sep 1976 – 30 Sep 1981. More
P Joe Collett, 9 Oct 1981 – 3 May 1985. More
Lester J Price, 16 Jul 1985 – 30 Aug 1991. More
Other staff
Adamson, H – Officer from 1913 but was under the control of Telegraph Engineer, Mr EH Lawn of Invercargill.
Babington, AM (Alistair) ZL4DW – At Awarua from about 1981. Living in Invercargill (Jan 2007).
Balan, SC (Steve) ZL4GF – At Awarua from about 1981. Moved to Auckland? about 1997. Also held callsigns ZL1NAK, ZL1MY & ZL2BLG.
Barlow, FE (Frank) ZL4JF/ZL4NU – Frank was listed as being at Awarua with the call ZL4JF 1948-1949, then as ZL4NU in Invercargill from 1953. Other calls held include ZL2BB, ZL1AIJ and latterly ZL2NB. Frank died in January 2005. He contributed articles on Awarua ZLB to the amateur publication Break-In in 1992 and 1995.
Barratt, Dex – Seen in 1945 photo below.
Bell, JR – Retired to Invercargill, deceased.
Bonisch, John U ZL4AG – Superintendent, 1 Apr 1958 – 10 Apr 1965. More
Burt, Bill – Seen in mid 1950s photo
Chalke, Nevile – Was at ZLB off and on from May 1971 until July 1988 and was the first one to take voluntary severance. He lived in the end cottage (nearest the Bluff road) for a couple of years with Bill Eales as a neighbour. He was with Marconi Marine in the Merchant Navy before going out to NZ. Was on secondment to PNG at Rabaul/P2R from 1978 to 1981 and had callsign P29NC. After leaving ZLB he opened up a picture framing business in Invercargill. Moved to London in 1998 and has been back and forth ever since.
Clarke, WRH (Harry) – Officer in Charge, 1 Oct 1914 – 10 Jan 1915. More
Collett, P Joe – Manager, 9 Oct 1981 – 3 May 1985. More
Columb, Patrick J ZL4PK from 1963 while in Invercargill – Promoted to Senior Supervisor Awarua Radio in 1957. Became Superintendent of ZLD. More
Cunnold, (Doug) – Senior operator, later became radio amateur.
Davies, John L – Officer in Charge, 1 Apr 1914 – 9 Aug 1914. More
Dolan James B – Superintendent, 22 Jun 1965 – 15 Aug 1966. More
Dominey, RJ (Ray) ZL4FC – At Awarua from about 1976, moved to Timaru, still there at Jan 2007. (Source: Tony Magon VK2IC).
Dudley, JT (Jim) ZL4JD – Manager, 24 Sep 1976 – 30 Sep 1981. More
Ellenden, E (Ellie) ZL4GP 1947-1949 and ZL4TJ 1990-1994 – Superintendent, 1 Sep 1966 – 5 Mar 1971. More
Emens, LG (Laurie) – Superintendent 18 Apr 1945 – 1 Apr 1947. See 1945 photo below. More
Ernst, RW (Roly) ZL4AU – At Awarua approx 1975-1989. Living in Invercargill (Jan 2007).
Faulkner, DN ZL4FS – At Awarua from 1985. Living in Hamilton (Jan 2007).
Glennie, Charles A – Manager, 4 July 1974 – 18 May 1976. More
Graham, Tony – Started at ZLB in 1980 and went from there to ZLC and then ZLD for 11 years until the station closed in 1993 and he moved to Taupo Maritime Radio ZLM. More
Greaney, AH – Arnold was born in Hokitika in 1901. He went to Awarua in 1929 and retired to Invercargill in 1958. He died on 15 July 1960.
Hampton, James H – Superintendent, 29 Oct 1926 – 19 Apr 1929. More
Hattan, Leigh – Ex Navy and first female operator at ZLB. Began 14 May 1980.
Hay, LAC – First observer when full time meteorology observations began in 1944.
Head, AW (Hec) ZL4AW in 1932 – Superintendent 1 Apr 1929 – 29 Mar 1945. More
Hickford, Eddie – Seen in 1945 photo below.
Hogan, JG (Jack) – Technician. Was one of those responsible for technical installation at new station in 1940. More
Houlihan, John (Probably ZL4OZ 1958-1968 Invercargill) – Superintendent 4 Jan 1955 – 31 Mar 1958. More
Hunt, Frank – Mar 1973 – Dec 1975. More
Johnson, Rex – Technician, from 1967
Kelly, Lou – Seen in 1945 photo below.
Langdale, CG ZL4DY – Appears to have been at Awarua 1932-1935 (approx). He is also listed as ZL4GN from about 1953 in Invercargill but that call was re-allocated in 1958.
Lawn, EH – Telegraph Engineer, of Invercargill.
Magon, TE (Tony) ZL4DE – Awarua 1975-1989, moved to Sydney in the same year. First VK call was VK2CBC, then changed to VK2IC which he still holds.
Martin, Noel – radio operator (obituary in Southland Times, 2013 – no other details)
Mathews, Sandra – First female technician (1970).
McKechnie, Bert – At Awarua radio around 1960. Father of All Black and NZ cricket rep Brian McKechnie. Seen in photos below.
McKenzie, WJ (Bill) “(Bill) was ZL4MG, but did not realise that he had relinquished the call. If he got his full call in 83, then that would have been the time he started at Awarua. He was there from around 1980 until 1989. Haven’t been in contact with him for a few years. He lives in McQuarrie Street in Invercargill.” (from Tony Magon VK2IC). – (callsign was relinquished 1999 – Alan ZL4PZ)
McVicar, RN – In September 1974 (while at ZLD) was appointed Senior Supervisor at Awarua, but in October he declined to take up the position.
Milne, H John – Superintendent 13 Feb 1974 – 30 May 1974. More
Osborne, Henry ZL4RF – technician at Awarua Radio, retired to Invercargill.
Pawley, NC Probably NC (Norman) Pawley ZL4DB 1946-1971 – retired 1968 to Invercargill, deceased. His widow Thelma still resides in Invercargill.
Price, LJ (Lester) ZL4PO – Manager, 16 July 1985 – 30 Aug 1991. More
Ramsay, Keith ZL4FM c1947-1988 – at ZLB until about late 1975, then became an RI.
Robertson, Ken – Supervisor at Awarua Radio around 1980-1982. Died 2010. See photo below.
Robins, GH – Officer from 1913 but was under the control of Telegraph Engineer, Mr EH Lawn of Invercargill.
Ryan, JF (Jack) – Superintendent 24 May 1971 – 18 Jan 1974. More
Sharman, Lew ZL2IC – Seen in 1942 photo
Shearer, David – Seen in 1945 photo below.
Spry, Palmer O – Officer from 1913 but was under the control of Telegraph Engineer, Mr EH Lawn of Invercargill. More
Steel, Les H – Superintendent, 21 Jan 1921 – 28 Oct 1925. More
Suckling, P – Engineer. Was one of those responsible for technical installation at new station in 1940.
Taylor, P – Was appointed as the first technician at Awarua in 1940.
Wallace, A ZL4DW in 1932 and ZL4HI Awarua 1953-1956 – Superintendent, 4 Aug 1947 – 5 Dec 1954. More
Whiteman WFC (Frank) – Officer in Charge, 12 Dec 1917 – 14 Feb 1921. More
Willis, ALM (Les) – Officer in Charge, 18 Dec 1913 – 31 Mar 1914. More
Most of the content on this page is from a former website created by the late Alan Gilchrist ZL4PZ, and was republished with his permission.
See also Alex Glennie’s spreadsheet of ZLB staff (opens in a new window).
If you can provide information about, or photos of, former ZLB staff, please contact the publisher.
HiHi
You missed plenty of guys for sure…never mind, we forgive you….Regards to all those, missed or, not throughout the ages…