The guns for Castor Bay came from the Naval Armaments Depot at Kauri Point and were delivered on site 5 April 1941 and test fired in July 1941. Unlike other similar batteries the tunnels were constructed afterwards by the cut and fill method; construction began in November 1941 and was completed by the end of May 1942.
Key statistics: Population at outbreak of war: 1,632,000 Men of military age: 355,000 Men and women who served overseas: 135,000 Men and women who joined forces during the war: 205,000 Peak number in Home Guard: 124,000 Peak number in E.P.S.: 150,000 Peak mobilization (September 1942): 127,000 Navy: 6,000 Air Force: 24,000
Total: 157,000.
Casualties: Deaths: 10,130 Missing: 634
Prisoners (peak): 8,086
Wounded: 19,345
Munitions and equipment: The value of war equipment was 42,000,000 (British Pounds). Food shipments during the war: To Britain: 1,800,000 tons of meat 685,000 tons of butter 625,000 tons of cheese. To United States Forces: 190,000 tons of meat 23,000 tons of butter 137,000 tons of vegetables. In addition: 5,400,000 bales of wool were appraised for shipment to Brittain. (Information taken from 'booklet War Effort prepared by The Information Section of The prime Minister's Department - 1946