Historian and author Renée Hollis is searching New Zealand for untold stories of the ‘Silent Army’; women who served and kept the home fires burning during WWII.

“I am looking for stories that have never been shared before that will give the reader a real insight into what women’s lives were really like during World War II.” 

“The older generation is generally quite modest in my experience; they’re not likely to blow their own trumpet about what they did during the war. Maybe they think it’s not that significant. But I’m really interested in social history and honouring the women who took part; if they were volunteering, working at factories, maybe running the family farm working in flax mills.”

Hollis says Southland women in particular were known for working as ‘land girls’ on farms, and for working at flax mills producing items to aid New Zealand forces in the war. 

“They’re pretty hardy people down your way.”

Photo: Mother and child beside a bomb trolley during an open day at RNZAF Station. Photo: Supplied.

“It would have been a big deal for them, some of them were quite remote and isolated, so I’m interested to hear how they supported each other. 

“They would have been doing this work for up to about 4 years, and I interested to learn what it was it like for women that stepped into a man’s role, which for that time which was unusual for women.” 

Hollis says it is important for these women’s stories to be shared. 

“They took on a lot of roles and made a lot of sacrifices, and a lot of people don’t know the details of what happened. Their generation is getting older, and we need to hear these stories before it is too late.”

“A lot of people talk about the war heroes, and of course we need to talk about and celebrate them, but we also need to focus on what happened here at home.” 

Hollis is interested in receiving any information people have on women’s experiences during WWII, including photos, diaries, letters and more.  

She says sources could include those who can recall childhood memories of wartime, mothers raising children while their husbands were fighting overseas, volunteers, land girls, women who worked in the factories as well as the Red Cross, the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAACs), the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAFs), the Women's Royal Naval Service (Wrens), etc. 

She is also very interested to hear about the experiences of New Zealand women who served overseas as nurses, pilots, ambulance drivers or entertainers, etc.

Material can be emailed to Renée Hollis at this address: [email protected] 

Or letters, diaries and photographs can be posted to: Renée Hollis, P.O. Box 85, Nelson 7040

Material must be submitted by 19 June 2022. Hollis says she understands how precious these items are and will take great care of them.