Ed Hillary, Ron Ward and Taradale Rotary Club
Ed Hillary and Ron Ward. WW2 experiences in the Solomon IslandsFor those following the “Hillary” documentary in TV1, they will have noticed a 30 second clip of Ed talking to a ‘Ron’. The scene related to Ed’s was war service in the Solomon Islands.
The documentary incorrectly concentrated on an incident where Ron (Ward) and Ed were in a small boat which exploded. In early 2008,
Ron spoke to the Club about his time with Ed Hillary as they flew Catalina’s together over the waters of the Solomon Islands. The talk was recorded by Janey Grant and here.
(Sir Edmund Hillary died in 2008 and Ron was a special guest at the funeral, Ron died 2013).
Ed’s mate Ron (Ward) began his talk with a quote from Sir Ed at the 1972 Rotary World Conference – “I don’t particularly like Rotarians. They tend to just take out their wallets. They’d be better to get a hammer and do the job themselves!”
Ed Hillary, back middle; Ron Ward back beside Ed’s left.Ron has known Ed from 1944 when they crewed Catalina flying
boats in Suva, Fiji. As they both liked to be active, in between
missions Ron and Ed yachted, tramped and climbed peaks in Fiji.
Equipment on one occasion for this creative duo was the camp
clothesline in lieu of a climbing rope. They also depleted the
Pacific crocodile population considerably.
In the Solomon Islands, the No 6 Squadron flew long-range
patrols and searches, coming across such things as a 2-man
Japanese submarine, which they were too big to fit into. Near the
end of the war they were involved in mercy flights, such as the
one to Yuji Island to repair the nuns’ generator which had been
wrecked by the Japanese.
Sir Edmund Hillary and Ron Ward (Taradale Rotary Club, 1990)
They also showed considerable initiative in solving the local pigeon overpopulation problem and lived onpigeon for 3 – 4 weeks afterwards. Their squadron picked up 84 airmen who had been shot down in
the Pacific. It was also discovered that Japanese troops had been at a base 100 km from Cape York, Australia, ready to move in. On another occasion, after sourcing an 18-foot Kriscraft and revamping it, theydid their Christian duty and delivered one of their fellows to church on another island. This was undertaken in full uniform of underpants and a hat!
Unfortunately, on the return journey the boat blew up and, badly-burned, they spent some time swimming between islands before they could find somewhere to come ashore, were taken to hospital on Guadalcanal and eventually shipped home. Doctors informed them that the constant immersion in saltwater probably saved them.
Sir Edmund Hillary and Ron Ward (Taradale Rotary Club, 1990)
Sir Edmund Hillary and Ron Ward (Taradale Rotary Club, 1990)
In summarising, Ron said that Ed Hillary was a philosopher and a very modest fellow who liked to attempt things that other people thought were impossible. He was a truly great man and one of whom we, as New Zealanders, can be proud.