List of disaffected Jugoslavs interned during First World War

This record (R20964589) is held in Archives New Zealand, Wellington Office digitised file Archway Miscellaneous - List of disaffected Jugoslavs interned during First World War (R20964589) This file can be downloaded as a pdf http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=209 64589&digital=yes This file gives names, some details of internment (eg place, date) and in some cases gives information on the individual regarding their behaviour, political affiliations http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=20964589&digital=yes

Pacifica Western Springs Auckland 9 March 2013

Auckland Museum

Barry Gibb's emotional powhiri before Mission show

Barry Gibb's emotional powhiri before Mission show 11:05 AM Friday Feb 22, 2013 For this year's Mission Concert artist Barry Gibb, the moment was clearly enchanting and emotional. Three members of a powhiri group which put on a welcome and a cultural greeting for the Bee Gee in Hawke's Bay yesterday stepped forward and sang to him, delivering a beautiful rendition of How Do You Mend A Broken Heart?, one of the many songs he and his brothers Robin and Maurice gave to the world. It came at the end of a Maori welcome which transfixed and delighted the Gibb whanau and their friends. The song was perfect for the occasion, after they were welcomed by Ngati Kahungunu's Hunni Williams who after greeting them explained that after Mr Gibb had accepted the traditional challenge he had been welcomed ``into our hearts.'' "Barry, welcome ... welcome ... your people are all with us today spiritually," Mr Williams said. Mr Gibb stood and returned the greeting. "We love you and thank you all for your incredible love," he told the members of the welcoming party, which included students from Karamu High School who delighted their guests with their traditional actions and songs. And Mr Gibb returned their welcome with a beautifully sung Words. The final line ``words are all I have, to take your heart away'' left the hosts spellbound. "So beautiful ... so very special," powhiri organiser, Rebecca Kamau, said. Mr Gibb and his son Stephen were both adorned with korowai (cloaks) and were later presented with a taonga of a carved mere and bone and greenstone pendants. They were overcome. "This has just been so powerful. I love it," Stephen Gibb said. His father agreed. "What a wonderful ritual," he said. "That war chant is something else." With a proud smile he said: "I have to give the cloak back but I get to keep this [the carved mere]". The powhiri group of about 30 was put together by the charitable trust group CLOSENZ, formed by Ms Kamau about four years ago to bring all walks of life together through a Maori cultural experience. She said it was sparked in the wake of the arrival in Hawke's Bay of the many Motown artists who arrived to put on the 2010 Mission Concert. She brought together a welcoming group of Ngati Kahungunu who captivated the visiting singers and musicians. "We were inspired by that," she said. "It is all about bringing people together from all cultures and all walks of life and sharing a breath and moment in time,'' Ms Kamau said. She said Barry Gibb had shared his gifts of music with them, and everyone in the world, and they wanted to share their gifts with him. "Maori are known for their hospitality," she said. "So we hope the powhiri will provide hospitality that the artists would long remember. "It's about manaakitanga and maintaining our traditions to keep them alive and pay tribute to Barry for his gifted voice and contribution into the music industry that at some point in our lives, we've all felt a connection to his songs." Mr Gibb said he would remember and cherish the memories of the occasion forever. - HAWKES BAY TODAY http://www.nzherald.co.nz/maori/news/article.cfm?c_id=252&objectid=10866986

Paul Holmes

A cheeky trailblazer who talked to the nation 5:30 AM Saturday Feb 2, 2013 Broadcasting legend's old school and workplace lower flags to half mast as NZ mourns his passing. Plans for a funeral and public tribute to Sir Paul Holmes will be announced in the next day or so, says the broadcaster's family. Sir Paul died early yesterday at his Hawkes Bay home, Mana Lodge, surrounded by family, after battling aggressive cancer and a failing heart. Admirers and some former adversaries say a hole has been left in New Zealand media. A statement from his family said Sir Paul was more than just a broadcaster. "Paul was a loving husband and father, as well as a generous friend. He loved people and people loved him. "Information on how the public can pay tribute to Paul will be announced in due course." News of his death sparked an outpouring of tributes. Flags were lowered at Television NZ and at his former Hastings school, Karamu High, and TVNZ screened a special half-hour tribute show. Prime Minister John Key said Sir Paul's death signalled the end of a broadcasting era. "He was a trailblazer in New Zealand journalism with a style that was all his own." Sir Paul rose through the ranks of the media in NZ, and not long after starting his eponymous TVNZ current affairs show, he became as much a celebrity as those he interviewed. As his popularity grew, his personal highs and lows also made headlines. Every twist and turn in his life became public property, including a battle with prostate cancer and a near-death experience in a helicopter crash. More recently it was again his health that made headlines; his career was put on hold when his cancer returned early last year and he underwent open-heart surgery in June. He briefly returned to the country's screens and airwaves, but in December announced he was retiring from broadcasting because of poor health. An unexpected phone call from Prime Minister John Key on Christmas Day ended Sir Paul's "annus horribilis" with an "unexpected, wonderful" gift in the form of a knighthood. His career in radio, print and television was dogged with controversy and he often butted heads with politicians, sportspeople and celebrities, but many have expressed their admiration for his feisty style. Former Television NZ colleague Susan Wood said Sir Paul "led the revolution in communication ... he was a man for the times". Fellow broadcaster John Hawkesby recalled a quick-witted, "one-off"' trendsetter who had an "action-packed career". Sir Paul was lauded for being able to speak with every type of person, and that has been reflected in social websites, with hundreds on Twitter paying tribute. Sir Paul and his wife of 10 years, Lady Deborah, lived at their Hawkes Bay farm surrounded by gardens and thousands of olive trees. Following his open-heart surgery in June, Sir Paul wrote a personal account of what he had been through. "... I've written it in good health, full of beans again, looking out on a golden spring day, the cold wind has gone and there is so much love in my life. What more could a man want?" - APNZ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/radio-broadcasting/news/article.cfm?c_id=263&objectid=10862975

Good Sorts: Graeme Pearce Thames

Good Sorts: Graeme Pearce Published: 7:43PM Sunday November 15, 2009 Source: ONE News This week's ONE News Good Sort Graeme Pearce, has an unusual calling - he helps the living remember the dead. His efforts at an abandoned cemetery in Thames have given the men and women who founded the town a grand room with a view. Pearce is an appliance repairman by trade but in his spare time, likes nothing more than donning the gumboots, grabbing a weed whacker and heading to the cemetery. "No one coerced me into doing it, I just thought you have to give something back" he says. Tararu Cemetary was closed to new burials 40 years ago and became overrun with weeds. That was until seven years ago, Pearce saw the mess and made a decision. "(It was) one of those moments in your life where you look out and say okay, it needs to be looked after, no use talking about it, pull your finger and do something," he says. The council doesn't pay for his efforts, but he's not worried. He says Thames has been good to him. Forty years ago, he stopped by, met his wife at the bakery and stayed. Andrea McCartney wrote to ONE News about Pearce. She first brought her father to the cemetery ten years ago, when it was still an overrun mess. "I'm not sure what his wife thinks of all the time he spends up here. You can now drive up if necessary, certainly walk up the paths, you can see all the names and he's just done a marvellous job," she says. Do you know someone who is a "Good Sort" that ONE News should talk to? Click here to nominate them. Share your thoughts on the series and the people featured on the messageboard below. http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/good-sorts-graeme-pearce-3145217

Remembering broadcaster Kevin Black,

Remembering broadcaster Kevin Black,a funny guy who was always gracious By Mathew Dearnaley 5:30 AM Saturday Feb 23, 2013 Broadcasting legend Kevin Black, who endeared himself to tens of thousands of listeners with his madcap antics on Radio Hauraki in the 1980s and died this week of a suspected heart attack aged 69, will be farewelled at a requiem mass at St Patrick's Cathedral in central Auckland at 1.30pm on Monday. His former friends and colleagues share some of their fondest memories of Blackie with the Weekend Herald. Tony Astle, Proprietor of Antoine's Restaurant, Parnell "He was larger than life, one of life's characters - you got what you saw, straight down the line. He was one of our longest, shall we say, sitting customers - he had an amazing constitution and it didn't matter what he did, we forgave him every time. "We loved him as a customer and as a friend and it's all a bit of a shock for us. He will never be forgotten and he holds many records." Mr Astle, who knew Black in Wellington before establishing Antoine's in 1973, recalled sharing a regular radio spot on which the DJ would call him for recipes. "I was called Hints with Mint - he used to wake me up in the morning and we'd talk absolute crap. Every Friday we'd do recipes that were absolute hogwash." Alan Whetton, Former All Black - co-hosted breakfast show with Black on Solid Gold FM for several years until their mutual retirement from broadcasting in 2009 "I finished at the same time as him because we were a little team. I had the latest part of his career - only for two or three years, but what a two or three years they were. "He was such a funny guy - anyone who said they couldn't get on with Kevin Black, well, you're in another world. "I just loved him to bits and he was an extremely generous man with his time, especially for a rugby jock like me. "He just took the piss out of me all the time, saying I was just hopeless and soft and how could I be a rugby player, I was too good-looking? He wanted to rough me up to make me look more menacing." Barry Jenkin, Aka Dr Rock - former Radio Hauraki DJ "I never ever heard Blackie lose his temper - I'm not even sure he had one. I've got a fairly short fuse but Blackie, whatever happened he just let it roll over him. He just went through life with a sort of equanimity if you like. "He was just a joker - if Blackie was in the room there'd be a lot of laughing - that was a given. He was an entertainer, funny as a fight. He was a great guy and it's been a hell of a shock." Phil Yule, Former Radio Hauraki breakfast show producer from the mid-1980s with Black, aka Boy Bob "If we came up with a good idea, he could take that and go anywhere with it. "He would ring people up and have them on, but it was all fun - there was no meanness at all. "It was quite kind of ironic that his heart got him because he had a lovely, big heart. He seemed like a tough street guy but he was a lovely, gracious guy. "One time he rang up a hair salon pretending his home-dyed hair had gone wrong - it was all henna-coloured but when he tried to wash it out it had all gone green and orange. You were thinking it was the hair on his head but it slowly evolved that it wasn't the hair on his head - the woman at the other end [of the phone line] just cackled her head off." Phil Gifford, Broadcaster aka Loosehead Len - sports-casted for Black at Hauraki in the 1980s "One of the great charms of Kevin Black was that he always had time for everybody and he actually enjoyed it. It wasn't a chore. If he hadn't been in radio he would have made an amazing barman - he was everybody's friend. "He always seemed on the verge of a party and if you had the stamina to tag along with him you were going to be part of that as well." Gifford revealed he did not tag along as often as radio listeners may have been led to believe "because I didn't have the constitution that Kevvy had" but recalled one outing which began at the former Gluepot pub in Ponsonby before gravitating over several hours to an upmarket club in High St. "There didn't seem to be a person we came across who Kevin not only knew but was mates with and had a joke with." John Hawkesby, Radio Hauraki breakfast show newsreader with Black "Kevin knew everybody in radio and touched a lot of people's lives - people loved him." Hawkesby recalls how station manager John McCready campaigned to move Black from another slot to the breakfast show in 1982 because "he thought he was so zany," but may have wondered what he had got himself into after a celebratory lunch at Antoine's Restaurant. Black chose the venue as it was the top restaurant at the time. Mid-way through the afternoon McCready said he had to get back to work and gave Black a taxi chit. At about 6.30pm he received a call from Antoine's proprietor Tony Astle saying he was sorry but Black was slumped asleep at a table which had to be re-set for dinner. McCready returned to collect him. Black, standing there, looks at McCready, then looks at his watch, and says, "you are very late for our lunch, I'm sorry but I went ahead and ate anyway". By Mathew Dearnaley Email Mathew http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10867156

Hobsonville Farmers Market

Auckland Harbour Bridge Crossing - Summer 2012

aground on the notorious Middleton Reef,

Middleditch, that is a great account of the Runic’s stranding and brings to mind a story that I have posted before about another stranding There was a mad mariner, a Welshman named Irfon Nicholas who sailed from Europe to Auckland via various ports in a 30 odd foot Ferro-cement yacht that had the charming name of “Sospan Fach”, Welsh for little saucepan and named after a little ditty that the town of Llanelli is famous for. It is supposed to be the most famous nonsense song sung at Welsh rugby union matches. Apparently Irfron’s crew left him in Auckland and when it became time to move on to Sydney he advertised in the local paper for new recruits and took on an Australian male and two NZ women all in search of adventure. I remember the bloke, a reticent sort of character, and his boat, a doubtful example of a sound craft, and the sort of boat that we used to call a floating septic tank. The skipper left Auckland in 1974 without notifying the local Marine Authorities and getting a certificate of sea worthiness, headed to North Cape before setting a westerly course toward Australia and by this time he had already started to quarrel with his crew. Some time after the drama that follows I remember reading that the crew expressed doubts about his navigational skills and were told that to get to Australia you just sailed to the top of NZ, turned left and sailed to the best weather advantage until you sighted Aussie then coast down to Sydney!! Needless to say that plan did not work and they finished up going aground on the notorious Middleton Reef, graveyard to many ships, one of the biggest being the “Runic” that went aground during a cyclone in 1961. Luckily for “Sospan Fach” crew they were able to find shelter and food on a nearby Japanese trawler wreck “Fuku Maru” that ran aground in 1963 in high seas. This wreck has been replenished with supplies and used as a food cache for ship wrecked sailors ever since. They were eventually able to signal a passing ship and get rescued..

Shipwreck of the yacht Sospan Fach on Middleton Reef in 1974.

Subject: Shipwreck of the yacht Sospan Fach on Middleton Reef in 1974. Category: Miscellaneous Asked by: kentheavonman-ga List Price: $50.00 Posted: 09 Oct 2003 19:31 PDT Expires: 08 Nov 2003 18:31 PST Question ID: 264782 In June of 1974, four people were plucked from Middleton Reef. They had attempted to cross from Auckland, NA to Sydney, AU, in a ferro-cement yacht called the Sospan Fach. Skipper Irfon Nicholas. Passengers Peter Lindemayer, Christine Braham, and Geraldine York. Nicholas was a Brit. Graham was an Aussie from Adelaide. The other two were, I believe New Zealanders. I need as much information as I can gather on the people and the vessel. Thank you. Ken Lord. Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 11 Oct 2003 10:06 PDT I've unearthed only one newspaper article about this incident, from June 18, 1974. The article is a few hundred words in length, and contains: --some details of the foursome's survival -- what they ate, how long they were stranded --the length of the yacht --the identity of the rescuing ship --how the survivors signaled the rescuing ship --a bit of background on the people themselves, but not much. Nationalities are given, one is identified as a former school teacher --there was apparently quite a bit of tension between Irfon and the rest, even before the wreck, and some information about this is given as well. All in all, there's some good detail in the article, but it certainly doesn't go into a great deal of depth. Would you like me to post this information as an answer to your question? Clarification of Question by kentheavonman-ga on 11 Oct 2003 22:12 PDT Probably I have this, as I have articles from NZ Herald, AU Herald, Adelaide News, Auckland Star, etc, for 6/12/74 and about 2 weeks thereafter. What I think I need is the ad that was run in an Auckland Paper. I will need to know something about the tension -- so go ahead and post it. Nicholas apparently had some reputation at Auckland. I need to know about that. Did he build the boat? Whose plans? Records of sea rescue services. Peter Warner of the ATA (vessel). Any background on the four before the voyage? Any follow up in the weeks post June 12, 1974. Any way to find the four people? My search of telephone numbers gives me nothing. Thanks. Ken Lord Clarification of Question by kentheavonman-ga on 11 Oct 2003 22:18 PDT Was the Sospan Fach registered? I know it did not pass customs or give notification of the sea journey. But was it registered? If so, what was the registration? Is air and sea rescue reachable about this either in NZ or AU? There is some reference to an Air Base in AU. Where is it? Is the ATA still working? Is Peter Warner still alive and working and can he be found? Thanks. Ken Lord Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 12 Oct 2003 17:03 PDT Clearly, I can only make a very meager addition to the information you already have. So here's the little bit I found about the in-fighting...you can have it gratis: According to a newspaper article dated June 18, 1974: The rescued were the Welsh skipper Irfon Nicholas, 38, Australians Peter Lindenmayer, 18, and Christine Braham, 23, and Geraldine Yorke, 23, of New Zealand. Nicholas' had gotten the crew together by advertising... ...Nicholas said he quarreled with his crew on April 9, two days after they left New Zealand, and after that they rarely spoke to him. "I had to get aggressive and to swear to stay in command", he said. "I was glad when we were rescued, so I would have someone to talk to at last".

The Sospan Fach saga 1974

The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982) of luck and bad management - and some desperate praying ONE OF THE STRANGEST tales of the sea is the story of the two girls, boy, and man, with all too little sailing experience, who set out to cross the Tasman Sea to Sydney in a yacht and were marooned for six weeks on Middleton Reef, 300 miles from Australia and 800 miles off course. JEAN DEBELLE talked o them after their rescue. "MANO here, he's the one who saved us," said Peter Lindenmay er, cheerfully hugging the stocky Tongan fisherman. Mano just grinned. It was Mano Totau who first saw the signal from the wreck of the Japanese fishing-boat that led to the rescue of the crew of the Sospan Fach. When the survivors landed at Ballina, northern New South Wales, there was an emotional reunion with family and friends - who had giv en them up for dead. As a backdrop to the intense excitement, Tongan crewmen strummed island music on guitars. Peter Lindenmayer. (18). of Melbourne, had. with Christine Braham. (25) of Adelaide and Geraldine York. (19). of Auckland, answered an advertisement pinned to the wall of a New Zealand youth hostel. The advertisement sought three girls to crew a ferro-cement sloop, the Sospan Fach, from Auckland to Sydney, with its owner-builder Irfon Nicholas. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/46242362

LONG-TIME LOCALS: Lifelong friends Patricia Tee, left, and Beryl Parker have compiled the history of their old Onehunga stomping ground in the book Growing up in Cardwell Street.

A book full of Cardwell St memories

When Beryl Parker and Patricia Tee finally decided to put pen to paper after 70 years they had no idea their project would take on a life of its own. The lifelong friends have been digging up the family roots of the early residents of Onehunga's Cardwell St - where they grew up - for a book for their families. Mrs Parker, who lived at No 13, says the book has been a real labour of love. "The best bit about it has been bringing us all back together. It has been over 70 years for some people." When Mrs Tee, who still lives in Onehunga, came down with bronchitis she thought the best way to occupy her time would be to take a trip down memory lane. "When Beryl came to visit me she said I could just about write a whole book with all the memories I had written about and that was that." Other former residents and their families jumped on board to contribute stories and photos. Few people will remember a time when two cars driving through Onehunga in one day was considered heavy traffic, but this bunch do. "It was such a different time. The children in Cardwell St played together out in the street and we knew all of our neighbours." "How many people would know their neighbours now?" Mrs Parker says. "No one thought to lock their doors when they went out. Anyone could enter a house and help himself or herself to a glass of water." The former Epsom Girls Grammar students would spend hours flying kites and tobogganing down the slopes of One Tree Hill on nikau palm sleds. The friendships formed on that street have lasted a lifetime, Mrs Parker says. "Even though our lives have taken different paths, when we meet it is like a reunion of brothers and sisters." To their surprise, the 74-year-olds have started receiving requests from others interested in getting their hands on a copy of the book. But for Mrs Tee, who lived at No 6, the book was just a great opportunity to show her family where they came from. "We take it for granted that our children know about their family history. It's given us something to pass on to our children and grandchildren," she says. "My childhood and adolescent years in Cardwell St were some of the happiest times of my life." - © Fairfax NZ News JESS LEE Last updated 05:00 24/10/2012 http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/central-leader/7851945/A-book-full-of-Cardwell-St-memories

BITTER SWEET: Darryl Kirby says he’ll be sad to let the former Epsom Post Office go when it is sold at auction next week.

Love affair comes to an end

Darryl Kirby's 50-year love affair with a former post office will come to an end on Wednesday when the 103-year-old building goes to auction. Mr Kirby first saw the Epsom Post Office in the early 1960s. He'd just arrived in New Zealand and the bus he caught to work would stop outside. "I was quite struck by it," he says. "I would say quietly to myself ‘one day I will own you'. "Of course it was a government building so I never expected I would, but 23 years later I did." The unexpected opportunity came in 1990 when the the government started selling off post offices. Mr Kirby and his wife Valerie soon realised that placing the winning bid at auction wasn't the biggest hurdle they'd face. The building hadn't been well looked after and it needed refurbishing before they could run their advertising business from it. "There was quite a lot of opposition from the locals, all sorts of rumours were flying around about what would happen with ‘our post office'," he says. "In the end I got the builder to put the plans on a board outside, it died down after that." The renovations included restoring the old windows, building new offices and a deck and creating a false ceiling to cover the worn out original. "The architect said the ceiling would be too hard to restore but it's still under there," he says. Mr Kirby got two letters from councillors commending the work when it was complete which still hang in the post office's reception area. He scored another victory in the battle for hearts and minds when he started giving out free stamps at the reception desk. "For quite a long time after it wasn't a post office any more a lot of the older people would turn up almost out of habit wanting stamps. "It was illegal to sell them so in the end I got the receptionist to buy a couple of books and give them out when they came in." Mr Kirby was once being interviewed outside the office by television personality Paul Holmes for a story about the government's sell-offs when an older woman marched into reception, slapped some money on the counter and asked for stamps. "The camera crew was completely gobsmaked," he says "The receptionist quickly obliged." Making the decision to sell was tough Mr Kirby says. "It's the only other property apart from my home that I've never wanted to sell. My wife says it's been the other woman in my life." He says he is a hands-on property owner and likes to get involved with the maintenance. "I'm 22 years older now and my wife and I would like to slow down." The building has a Historic Places Trust category two classification. Somebody who appreciates the history of the building would be the ideal buyer, Mr Kirby says. Facades on the outside of the post office can't be touched but almost anything can be done inside. "I would hate to see somebody buy it and paint is some hideous colour," he says. The Epsom Post Office will be auctioned by Bayleys on October 31. See bayleys.co.nz for information. http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/central-leader/7862153/Love-affair-comes-to-an-end/ EMMA WHITTAKER Last updated 05:00 26/10/2012 - © Fairfax NZ News

Anna (Mary) Yandall

YANDALL, Anna (Mary). Always beautiful, kind and caring with a voice of an Angel and a heart as big as the world. You will be greatly missed by everyone whose lives you touched. Our love and our prayers go out to Adele, Pauline and families. Billy T (deceased) and Lynn James.

Published in The New Zealand Herald on February 1, 2012
Anna Mary Yandall


YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. Passed away peacefully at 1:41am on Monday 30 January 2012 at Auckland Hospital, surrounded by her family. Darling second daughter of the late Nova Shirley (Phineas) and Tanuvasa James Alfred Yandall. Beautiful and much loved sister of the late Caroline, Adele, Pauline, Dan, Graham, Josephine, Elizabeth, Mark, Ben and their families. Anna Mary will lay in state at the family home. Her funeral service will be held at the Pacific Islanders Presbyterian Church, 2 Edinburgh Street, Newton, Auckland on Friday 3 February 2012 at 10:00am, to be followed by interment at Waikumete Cemetery. All communications to: 021-0829-6833 or 021-211-7089. Nick Bakulich Funeral Director

Published in The New Zealand Herald on January 31, 2012

Mary Yandall
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YANDALL, Mary Dearly loved niece to Bill & Mema and much loved cousin to Willie, Blanche, Wayne, Peter, Sylvia,Tim & families.A wonderfully brave & vivacioius woman who always gave selflessly.We will miss you a lot, but forever treasure the love and laughter.

Published in The New Zealand Herald on February 1, 2012

Mary Yandall


YANDALL, Mary. To our dearest cousin Mary, the suddenness of your departure from us is unfair. However we rejoice in the memories you have left us with. We recall the stories you would tell us in the backrooms of Dryden Street, while our parents would be upfront laughing and enjoying each other's company. Lasting memories of a larger than life person, with a strong voice who always made us proud. You will be missed but not forgotten. Love the Ioanes, Uncle Sefulu, Aunty Josie, cousins John, Sam, Frances, Eddie, Sandra, David and families.

Published in The New Zealand Herald on February 2, 2012

Mary Yandall

YANDALL, Mary. Forever in our hearts. Love Aunty Ida and Uncle Bill Smith and family.

Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. Passed away on 30th January 2012. Now in the presence of the Lord you loved so dearly. Faithful to your God, your parents, your loving family and your craft. Mary, you too were taken too soon but forever loved by your cousins Nova, Nolan, Edgar, Laumatau and families. Beloved niece of both the late Galumalemana Fred and Caroline Reid. Manuia lou Malaga.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. To our dearest and greatest Aunty Mary. We love and miss you so much but we know you are in safe hands reunited with Mum, Dad, Aunty Carol and the loved ones who were called on before us, with and in the kingdom of God. Words can't describe who or what you are to us because your smile says it all. You have touched many hearts with your grace, joy, wisdom, amazing vocals and more. Thank you for always being there, sharing your unconditional love and support. Glad we had our share of amazing laughs, special moments and memories with you. Rest pain free, easy and in heavenly peace. Until we meet in paradise Aunty Mary. In the words of you and Grandpa - amazing. Lots of love, God Bless you, Ben, Lesley, Benjamin and Patricia - the Ng family.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. A true soldier for God and family. Our loving sister's final days were spent peacefully and with grace. Her smile lighting up the room every time a pineapple iceblock appeared. A life in the service of the Lord gave Mary great pleasure and Mary's great talents gave the rest of us joy. Dear Mary, from stand up shouting to prolonged hugs, we had a true and loving relationship with you. You helped us embrace the family, showed us that respect is shared and how God keeps our family together. You had the strength of your convictions; your help with Dad in his last years was beyond measure. We love you and will miss you deeply. Our family choir has one less angelic voice but the Heavenly Choir is the richer. We will always love you Mary, your brothers Mark and Kavin.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. Dearest Aunty Mary, gone too soon, but so happy for the time we shared with you. Although you had no children of your own, you were a mother to us and raised us from when we were babies. Your passion for music, your family and your God is truly inspiring and you are truly a great soldier of God. Not a day will go by that we don't think of you, and know you are rejoicing and singing in heaven with Nana, Grandpa and Aunty Carol. Always in our hearts until we meet again, manuia lou malaga, the Solomonas.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. To our darling sister and aunty, Now that God has called you home, we can rejoice that you are now at peace. We shall cherish your legacy of faith and indomitable will in the face of adversity. You will be forever missed, not only by those who loved you, but the many that have been touched by your voice. Forever in our hearts. Vesi, Phina, Leona, John, Laumatau, Jane, Jerry and young David and Darius.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. Dearest Mary, even in adversity your spirit was strong and you sang praises even as your body faltered. You leave a huge hole but your love and courage is forever etched on our hearts. Till we meet again. Your loving brother Graham and Caroline.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. May the angels be singing as they greet you at heaven's gate. Dan and Kathleen, Daniel Jnr and Charlotte, Anita, Delia, Karina Yandall. Rest In Peace.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. To our most beautiful lady. (Aunty) Mary, it has always been our honour and privilege to serve and care for you in our home. You have touched our family with such a deep and rich love like no other that only God will see us through the pain of your absence. Thank you, our gifted, talented, hard-working, humble, fun-loving, big- hearted, dedicated, darling sister and aunty. We have been enriched and encouraged by your faithfulness, love, and the precious time that we have shared. In every song we sing we will hear your voice, and in every moment of laughter we will feel your spirit within, lifting us and guiding us. Praise God for His blessings showered upon us through you. Go to your Lord and Saviour. You have longed for this day Mary. Well done, good and faithful servant. Deepest love and cherished moments 'til we meet again. Pauline, Keith, Mark, Luana and Aaron Prictor. "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith." 1 John 5:4

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. We praise God for the life of our precious sister and aunty Mary who left us yesterday to join God's heavenly choir. I'm sure you'll be singing up a storm there Mele! Our lives will never be the same without you sis, but we have so many cherished memories of you, as a singing sister, doting aunty, head of our family and faithful servant of God. Dryden St will never be the same without you either, but we are assured that you're in a wonderful place now which God has prepared for you, with our loving parents, sister Caroline and Bob. Thank you for always being there for us and for all your hard work in keeping our family together. Thank you for the constant fun and laughs we had as the Yandall Sisters. Thank you for your strength and courage which inspired so many others and for your warm and gracious heart. We love and miss so much already. Until we meet again darling sis and aunty, Adele, Andre and Stephanie and Martin Paris.

Published in: New Zealand Herald

Music scene farewells Yandall sister

A who's who of the Kiwi entertainment scene will gather in Auckland on Friday to farewell one of its own.

Anna - better known as Mary - Yandall, a key member of the Yandall Sisters, has died aged 62.

A funeral will be held at the Pacific Islanders' Presbyterian Church at Newton from 10am.

Mourners will include veteran crooner John Rowles who took to the stage with Mary, Adele and Pauline numerous times through the 1970s.

"They were a united team that worked for every prominent performer in the country through those years," he says.

"They always had a lot of love in their hearts and were a great support to me as back up singers on many occasions - probably the best I've had."

"It always came so naturally for them... they always knew what they had to do."

The Yandall sisters were born into a Samoan family and started performing with another sibling, the late Caroline, as children at Sunday school and various private functions.

Their first recording was in the mid 1960s but they shot to prominence around 1972 as cabaret act - heading to Australia shortly after the release of their first single.

A return to New Zealand in 1973 saw the Yandalls - by now a trio - picked up as a backing group for a number of high profile acts.

The sisters appeared on stage with entertainers including Mr Rowles, Billy T James, Prince Tui Teka, Dalvanius Prime and Sir Howard Morrison in the years that followed.

They performed at a tribute concert for Sir Howard after his death in 2009.

The Yandall Sisters recorded numerous singles and released their own album, Up Front in 1976.

Sweet Inspiration, released in 1974, was their biggest hit and stayed in the top charts for over three months.

The sisters won the New Zealand Entertainer of the Year Award in 1977 and enjoyed growing popularity as a regular live act and on television well into the 1980s.

Rowles recorded Hawaiian Wedding Song as a duet with Mary in the early 70s and the pair performed it live during a concert in 1974.

"She was such a beautiful girl," he says. "And she never changed. She was always kind and a little mischievous in such a wonderful way.

"I am very sad to know she has gone but she does leave behind such a great legacy."

Yandall will be buried at Waikumete cemetery.

MATTHEW GRAY MATTHEW GRAY
Last updated 10:10 01/02/2012

Yandall Sisters