Today Jenny and I spent an hour with a wonderful man. Stuart was the first District Governor of District 9940. He is 99 and lives in New Plymouth. We sat and chatted about Rotary, his memories of the war and his time in the Taranaki. What a privilege. He was keen to know about the state of membership in the District, he recalled his involvement with ROTA (with PDG Bill Carthew being on the first team) and recalled the District he travelled was from New Plymouth across to Taumaranui and Gisborne. He spoke of his memories of WW2 when he served in Italy as part of the 25th Battalion. He showed us his ID papers from when he was part of the intelligence service after being wounded on Hill 318 in Florence. He spoke of the Italian girls he worked with to have them return to New Zealand as future brides of returning service men. He said with a twinkle in his eye that after meeting them 'he never darned a sock from that day on!! Born in Wellington 24 November 1910, Stuart lived his young life in the Taranaki - in Hawera, Eltham and later in New Plymouth. He worked successfully in the plumbing supplies industry and later went on to be Harbour Board Chairman, was awarded CBE and Queens Service Medal. He smiled as he recalled the meeting of his wife at a local dance and how they polished the dance floor with bags of wheat. A truly memorable visit which I will cherish for many years to come. [Pictured: Frank Morine, PDG Stuart and DG Howard]
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