Memories of Walter William Brackridge
This story was typed by the family and is attached to this record and included below:
"Walter William Brackenridge born 1912
Joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (NZ division) in 1930.Made Lieutenant 1938 and Lieutenant Commander 1943. Substanitive 1947 and retired 1950
Mobilised August 1938. Appointed Assistant to staff Officer (Intelligence) at Navy Office Promoted to Lieutenant Commander on appointment as Liaison office to Commander South Pacific (Admiral Halsey) in January 1943
Appointed Director Naval Intelligence to NZ Naval Board 1944
Relinquished this appointment on secondment to British Pacific Fleet in April 1945 and appointed
there by BPF as Intelligence Liaison Officer to Commander in Chief Pacific (Admiral Nimitz in April 1945.
Demobilised in January 1946.
His war years took him to. New Caledonia, New Hebrides, Guadalcanal, Savo, New Georgia, Russel Islands ,Admiralty Islands, Manus, New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Carolinas and Marianas and Guam. His responsibility was to brief the British Fleet (BPF) ships on Intelligence items which could be of value to them and which came from American sources. Also to keep NZ Naval Board appraised of new developments and items vital to them.
As this was his role, he was on a lot of different ships and Submarines throughout the war.
He was on the USS Missouri for the surrender of Japan at the end of the war and was captured in some of the photographs taken at the time."
Walter William Brackenridge - can be seen in the full photograph of the ceremony of the surrender of Japan which is currently in the Singapore War Museum.