Constant was my paternal grandfather and the eldest son of Michael Galvan and Polly (Pare) Tamati of Te Mata in Raglan and the grandson of Richard and Catherine Galvan, original settlers to Raglan.
Con's Family
Constant was born in Te Mata on 15th November 1924 and passed away in Auckland on 24th December 1976 aged just 52. Con was one of three children born to Michael and Pare. His two siblings died in infancy. One Sibling I have managed to trace back via his death certificate, Whaka Galvan. Whaka was born 2 years after Con in 1926 and passed away at 2 years of age in 1928 from Gastroenteritis and Cardiac failure. His mother Polly (Pare) was a full blooded Maori from Ngati Whare iwi, grew up in Ohiopopoka a small Maori settlement not far from Te Mata.
Whaka Galvan's death certificate above says he passed away on 24th May 1928. Note that the certificate was written on 30th June 1928. It notes his father as farmer Michael Galvan and mother Pare Tamati a full blooded Maori of Ngati Whare iwi.
Skeletons in the Closet
Growing up in Te Mata
You can see the Te Mata town hall prominent in the left of the picture above, the store is in
the middle background and the school to the right. The Catholic church sits up on the hill above the school.Maud Galvan, Joseph Galvan-Brown and Michael Galvan are buried in the Te Mata Catholic Church cemetery. There are Galvan and Brown relatives scattered in various cemeteries in the area.
Marriage and children
Constant married Anne Galvan (Herewini). Anne had 10 children. Michael, my father was the eldest, followed by David, June, Amelia, Maud, Peter, Harry, Joseph, William and Camilo. Peter and Joseph were not Con's natural children. Cons wife Anne is buried at Karangahape Marae Urupa, Matangirau near the entrance to Tauranga Bay in Northland along with my father Michael Galvan. Con did not speak to his children much of his childhood or family in Raglan. I cannot help but feel the war had a drastic impact on him.
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| My paternal grandparents - Ani and Constant at my parents wedding The Basin View Lounge, Panmure, 22nd July 1967 |
Cons father Michael passed away at the age of 79 on 7th April 1939. Con was just 7 months short of his 15th birthday. This must have left a big gap in his life. Con joined the NZ Armed forces in January 1940. He would not turn 16 until November that same year. As a young man he was looking for adventure, and so he lied about his age. Con gave his date of birth as 26/11/1918 making him legal enlisting age. Con and his friend Bobbie (Robert) Maru joined the 21st Rifle Battalion, 2nd Echelon and so their "adventure" begun.
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| 2nd Echelon Parade at Auckland Domain, April 1940 |
The 21st battalion was one of the three Auckland regional battalions formed as part of the expeditionary force in 1940. It was raised from recruits mainly in Auckland city and north Auckland, but also from the Waikato and Hauraki districts. The volunteer recruits were ordered to report to the Rutland Street barracks on 12th January 1940, to meet their officers and NCOS who has been in training at Narow Neck camp.
Con sailed with the second echelon and saw service in England, Greece and Crete. He was captured in the Western Dessert on 28th November 1941. He was taken prisoner during Operation Crusader at Sidi Rezegh posted as missing 13 December 1941, and posted as a POW on 2 January 1942. He had turned 17 that previous November. This must have been a harrowing experience for a young lad who had lived all of his life in the small township of Te Mata. Con was imprisoned for 22 months before escaping.
From the 8th June 1942 to 18th December 1942, Con was at Campo PG52. The camp was set up at the beginning of 1941 and continued to function until July 1944 when it was finally closed and dismantled. Built by military engineers, it was sited in the Lavagna floor plain between the river and the hillside. There were 44 wooden barracks and a brick building housing the kitchens, a refactory, a library, an assembly room, a chapel, a theatre and a shop. In another building set aside from the rest there was an infirmary. All told it could hold around 4,000 prisoners. Food supplies, managed by the Red Cross were intermittent and prisoners often went hungry - cigarettes and alcohol were much valued as a bartering tool for additional rations.
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| You will see the above Cons personal details upon enlisting give his birthdate as 16/11/1918 aged 21 a Labourer from Moerangi south of Te Mata. This was in fact untrue. Con was only 16, 5 years younger than legal enlisting age. On despatch, the document also lists his wife as Anne Galvan living in Hikutaia in the Coromandel. |
From the 8th June 1942 to 18th December 1942, Con was at Campo PG52. The camp was set up at the beginning of 1941 and continued to function until July 1944 when it was finally closed and dismantled. Built by military engineers, it was sited in the Lavagna floor plain between the river and the hillside. There were 44 wooden barracks and a brick building housing the kitchens, a refactory, a library, an assembly room, a chapel, a theatre and a shop. In another building set aside from the rest there was an infirmary. All told it could hold around 4,000 prisoners. Food supplies, managed by the Red Cross were intermittent and prisoners often went hungry - cigarettes and alcohol were much valued as a bartering tool for additional rations.
Campo 52 is located by the village of Pian de Coreglia, Chiavari in the North-west. Between early 1941 and July 1944 when the camp was liberated, Campo 52 would house a total of 15,000 English, New Zealand and South African POWs.
On the 18th December 1942, Con was transferred to Campo 107, a work camp in Torviscosa. He eventually escaped and spent 18 terrible weeks on the run in Italy.
On the 18th December 1942, Con was transferred to Campo 107, a work camp in Torviscosa. He eventually escaped and spent 18 terrible weeks on the run in Italy.
Con was reported safe with Allied Forces in Italy on 3 February 1944. He returned to New Zealand as part of Furlough Group on 10th June 1944. According to his army records, Constant was awarded the following war medals for his services in WWII;
• MID Emblem
• 1939-45 Star
• Defence Medal
• War Medal 1939-45
• NZ War Service Medal
• Africa star
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| Auckland Star 21 September 1944 |
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Auckland Star 23 October 1944 |
Below are copies of Con's Army History Sheet. At the top it clearly states he entered camp in January 1940, embarked in May 1940, disembarked 16 June 1940, arrived back in NZ on 10 June 1944, and was discharged on 1 September 1948. These records detail all of Cons journey in the armed forces.
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| 8th September 1944, Constant had applied to be discharged based on his age. It was sent to the Hamilton Military HQ from the Waikato RSA. |
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| This letter documents the issue around Con's age and status as a Maori and his desire to be despatched from the armed forces. This letter was written on 9th September 1944 from the Hamilton Military HQ to the Northern Military HQ. |
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| This telegram provides evidence of Cons accurate birth date and status as a Maori. |
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| This communication provides confirmation that embarkation is withheld and discharge granted. It is dated 20 September 1944. |
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| Con is given the right to remain in New Zealand and is not subject to further embarkation. It is dated 25 September 1944. |
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| For some reason, Con requested active service overseas. This letter is dated 6th February 1945. |
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| On 9th February 1945, Con was mobilised again into the NZ forces. |
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| On 15th February 1945, Con was requested to report to Knox Street Hamilton at 1300 hours Wednesday 26th February 1945 for despatch to Trentham Military Camp. Con would be discharged on 1st September 1948 . Documents show Con also applied for and received an Army Gratuity payment and the War pension following his discharge. |
Galvan's and Brown's of Raglan
The photo of Con in his army uniform was taken in Italy on 4th September 1942 and was gifted to me by Tim and Sue Brown of Te Mata in March 2019. Tim Brown is Con's 2nd cousin, and the son of Joseph Brown who was Michael's nephew. Joe's mother was Esther Galvan. Esther married Robert Brown and hence the Brown name is also prominent in the geneology of Richard and Catherine's off spring and the Brown family were closely linked to Cons childhood in the Raglan and Te Mata area. Many of Cons children are named after his aunts and uncles and he clearly had a close relationship with them.
Tim Brown and his wife Sue live on the family farm Joe Brown farmed still to this day. Tim Brown is the caretaker of the Te Mata Catholic Church cemetery where Michael Galvan is buried, and also Joseph Galvan-Brown is buried with his wife Fidelis, Maud Brown is also buried here. Joseph Galvan was also a trustee of Michael Galvan’s will, and he ensured that Constant was not sent back into service prior to coming into his inheritance upon turning 21, writing a letter to the Minister of Defence on 21st September 1944 seeking a postponement of Cons second
term. It was Tim who referred to Con as speaking fluent Te Reo and Italian. This makes sense to me as many people in the Waikato living with Maori spoke fluent Te Reo and Cons' years as a POW would have led him to learn Italian.
Postal addresses for Con from Army Records have him living at 69 Higgins Road, Frankton Junction, Hamilton (March 1946) and then at 16 Alamein Road, Panmure.
As of 1st October 2019, Constant has 4 surviving children.
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