Dunedin musician Dr Ian Chapman is pictured in his Otago Harbour boatshed, where he has displayed photographs of his dad Victor David Charles Chapman and his ships, shipmates and medals from his service in World War 2. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Dr Chapman’s father Victor David Charles Chapman (1919-97) RNZVR served overseas in the navy during World War 2, keeping with him a tin whistle that he used to play sea shanties on board ship throughout the war.
The tin whistle, played by Dr Chapman’s teenage son Arlo Chapman, can be heard in the song, recently recorded at the University of Otago’s Te Korokoro o te Tūī studio, with the help of friends composer Anthony Ritchie and Mike Holland.
Dunedin composer Anthony Ritchie conducts Arlo Chapman, 15, son of Dr Ian Chapman during the recording of his song at the University of Otago’s Te Korokoro o te Tui studio. Arlo is playing the tin whistle that belonged to his father Vince Chapman kept with him throughout World War 2. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
The song and accompanying interview with presenter Susana Lei’ataua will feature during RNZ’s Anzac special – to be broadcast on Monday, April 27 (the Anzac Day public holiday). The song is scheduled to be played at about 9.25am.
An audio recording of the interview and song will go up on the RNZ website shortly after the interview airs, so people can listen back at their leisure.
Victor David Charles Chapman (1919-1997) RNZVR, pictured as a young man aboard ship. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
“Still, I remember always being very proud that he'd served, as I am now, never more-so,” he said.
“During my childhood we spent countless hours fishing together and I have inherited his life-long love of the sea.
“I feel his presence very strongly in this nautical environment as the waves slap underneath the floorboards and the wind carries the cries of sea birds,” he said.
While Dr Chapman wrote an early version of the song years ago, he only performed it once before putting it away.
“Its resurrection is a direct result of me now inhabiting his favourite environment; his ultimate happy place – the sea,” he said.
In the lead-up to Anzac Day, Dr Chapman paid tribute to his father and to all of the sailors, soldiers, airmen, medics, chaplains and more whose service allowed New Zealanders to live in peace.
