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thedrifter
08-24-07, 06:10 AM
Friendly invaders recall days in NZ

Aug 24, 2007 6:39 PM
TVNZ -

http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/news2007/united_states/marinesold_240807_232.jpg

http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/news2007/united_states/marinesnew_240807_232.jpg

US Marines posted in New Zealand during World War II got together with some of their Kiwi friends at the New Zealand embassy in Washington DC to take a trip down memory lane.

Over a few gins there was a lot of laughter about the marines being labelled as over paid, over sexed and over here. But as one former Marine recalls, his time in New Zealand was special.

"The friendliness of the people. They were the kindest most friendly people that I have ever met, and I loved the hills."

Around 200 members of what has been called the 'friendly invasion' gathered for the event, and they were as plucky as ever.

"Our character was different. And the girls seemed to fall for it, and we certainly appreciated it," says the former Marine.

Ninety-one-year-old Kiwi Joyce Matthews was one of those taken with the Marines.

"I was one of six girls and we had a lot of fun. They really were handsome boys and very gentlemanly and very nice," she says.

The challenge for Matthews was to find nostalgia without sentimentality.

"They always bought candy and nylon stockings," she says.

While this time they brought walkers and wheel chairs, the night gave everyone a chance to remember a world at war, and the meeting of two new worlds.

Ellie