Hocken Digital Collections

Unwin, Robert : Papers relating to New Zealand and Japanese radar during World War I

Details

Reference NumberAG-989CreatorUnwin, Robert Sidney, 1918-1996DescriptionThis collection contains a photographic album documenting Unwin's war years. It includes a map, clippings and photographs of places, indigenous peoples, army buddies, bombing raids, scenes of Manila before and after the Japanese invasion, Japanese prison guards and postcards of Japanese scenes. There are also photographs and papers relating to his two articles for 'The Radioscientist' concerning New Zealand and Japanese radars in World War II.
Only a small part of this collection is digitised and available through Digital Collections. Information about other items can be found on the Hākena catalogue, through the Library Catalogues link above.History / BiographyRobert Sidney Unwin was born on 12 August 1918 in Timaru. He completed a BSc at Canterbury University in 1939 and a doctorate in 1982. In 1940 he spent a further year at university studying radar, before he joined the Radio Development Laboratory (RDL) in Wellington. During World War II he trained personnel in the operation of radar and in 1943 joined the radar surveillance and counter-measures group in New Caledonia, working with the US 13th Air Force. Returning from the United Kingdom in 1953, he joined the Dominion Physical Laboratory in Wellington. In 1957, Unwin formed an atmospheric group and moved to Invercargill where a radar system was installed near Bluff, and studies commenced into optical systems and the aurora. The operation shifted from Bluff to Lauder in 1960. In 1971 Unwin moved to Christchurch and in 1981 he spent a year in Western Samoa before retiring to Wānaka. He wrote two articles for 'The Radioscientist' in March and June 1992. They were titled 'New Zealand Radar in World War II' and 'Japanese Radar in World War II'. Robert Unwin died on 8 February 1996 (from Obituary, Otago Daily Times, 19 February 1996, p.16).

Photograph

'Mark Model Radar at Balikpapen, Signal Hill July 1945'

Depicts Or Relates To

SubjectsRadarWorld War, 1939-1945

Digital Collections

Hocken Digital Collections

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Unwin, Robert : Papers relating to New Zealand and Japanese radar during World War I

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