Charles Douglas Hamilton

From 'Hamilton Family 1875-2000'

"Doug put up his age up so he could serve in World War II, also he was a prisoner of war and returned home safely."

"Doug's first job when he left school was at Ohangai, working as a farmhand. He worked at Tiroti, also managed a Sheep Farm at Waverley, and worked for Charlie Richard's at Kakaramea.

In 1939 he enlisted in the army, along with his brothers Tim and Laurie. He was 19 years old at the time, and in order to enlist he put his age down as 21 years old. He was a Gunner in the 5th Feild Regiment, in the N.Z.E.F., and served in Cairo (Egypt), and Casino (Italy), among other places. He, along with some of his comrades were captured by the Germans and held as prisoner of war for five weeks in a prison camp in Bardia, which is a country in the Middle East northwest of Egypt on the coast of the Mediteranean Sea. While Doug was a prisoner of war he saw Rommell "The Desert Rat", one of the Generals in the German Army.

Doug returned home from war to New Zealand in 1945, where he worked on a farm at Araratua with his brother Tim. IN 1947, while he was working in Ararata, he met Thelma Tui. He later moved to Kauangaroa to live with Thelmas, where they had their first child Doug (junior) in 1948, and where they were later married in 1950. In Kauangaroa, he worked for a number of years as a general farm labourer for Mr Ed Cranston, who lived approx hald a mile away, and each day Doug would ride his horse to Mr Cranston's property.

Doug and Thelma started their own Dairy Farm on land that she inherited from her family. Over the years they had another 15 children. During this time Thelma drove the school bus for over 20 years, until she became ill in 1982, and then Doug took over the bus run for a couple of years. During the time they were married, they were both actively involved in the Kauangaroa School Committee and the Kauangaroa Marae Committee.

Doug enjoyed watching rugby and horse racing, and he made a 'mean' home brew. He lived in Kauangaroa until he became ill, and then moved to town to live with his youngest son, Andrew. Doug passed away in Wanganui Hospital at the age of 78, on May 12, 1999."