Childhood mates reunited at last

Fred Dunn (left) and Les Mackle  delight in each other's 
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Fred Dunn (left) and Les Mackle delight in each other's company once again at Maran-atha Home, after losing touch more than 70 years ago during World War 2. Photo by Brenda Harwood

Laughter and tales of youthful hi-jinks flow as Les Mackle (92) and Fred Dunn (93) reminisce about their idyllic Dunedin childhood.

The old mates, who lost touch more than 70 years ago during World War 2, have been delighting in each other's company after reuniting two weeks ago at Maran-atha Home in Mosgiel.

Mr Mackle moved into Maran-atha Home a couple of weeks ago, where Mr Dunn has lived for the past two years. At first, the childhood friends did not recognise each other, but they soon ''sorted it out'' and have been inseparable ever since.

''My first reaction was, `what the hell is he doing here?','' Mr Dunn said.

As children, the pair lived just a few doors away from each other and spent many hours kicking balls around and climbing trees in the Dunedin Botanic Garden. As they grew into teenagers, they spent a lot of time at Purakaunui, enjoying the beach, mucking around in boats, and getting up to mischief.

''We used to go out to Purakaunui on the train on a Friday night and come back on a Sunday - and we had a great time while we were out there,'' Mr Dunn said.

''We had some hair-raising adventures, often in the middle of the night.''

After attending North Dunedin schools, the boys both attended King Edward Technical College, with Mr Dunn studying woodwork and Mr Mackle studying engineering. Mr Dunn went to work building trams at the ''body shop'' on the Market Reserve, while Mr Mackle worked at the foundry.

Both men signed up during World War 2, but had very different experiences of the war.

Mr Mackle trained as a territorial at Burnham near Christchurch, but was eventually sent back to Dunedin to return to work as part of an ''essential industry''. Mr Dunn went overseas with the 2NZEF to Egypt as a mechanical engineer, ending up in Trieste, Italy, at the end of the war.

Although both returned home to Dunedin, they lost touch.

''We never associated together after the war, we just carried on with our lives,'' Mr Mackle said.

Mr Mackle married Dorothy, and became a father to four children, started his own LJ Mackle carrying business, and eventually trained as a builder. He played baritone horn in Dunedin brass bands for 68 years, including 22 years with St Kilda Brass, Port Chalmers band and Kaikorai Metropolitan Brass. He retired from playing five years ago.

Mr Dunn married Gwen and continued working, building trams for much of his career, before becoming a quality controller at an engineering firm. He was a founding member and is a life member of Island Park Golf Club at Waldronville, and is a life member of Green Island Indoor Bowling Club.

Now that they have found each other once more, the gentlemen have been content to look back across their long lives to remember the golden days of youth.

''We have had such a lot of fun sitting in the sun, telling yarns and remembering old times,'' Mr Mackle said.

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