Military museum in a ‘man cave’
Gary Brandon talks about his collection, while behind him on the left are three uniforms donated by officers he served under; Bob Davies, Phil McGuire, and Dick Cairns. Photo: Dan Hutchinson
On the outskirts of Taupō there’s a bar out the back of a house that gets quite busy on Anzac Day.
By Dan Hutchinson
Gary Brandon has built up an extensive military memorabilia museum in the purpose-built space, where current and former servicemen often gather to reconnect.
The former army corporal, who served from 1986 to 1996, says it began as a modest display of World War II prints but has expanded into a collection featuring uniforms, weapons replicas, and memorabilia from multiple conflicts and military units.
His favourite part of the collection is the dress uniforms donated by three Vietnam veterans who Gary later served under; Bob Davies, Phil McGuire, and Dick Cairns, who lives locally.
Brandon's military service included deployments to Papua New Guinea, Australia, and a peacekeeping mission to Bosnia in 1995. The Bosnia deployment was cut short after three months when the United Nations transitioned to NATO command and the New Zealand government chose not to participate.
"It was peacekeeping, but it was very interesting, actually," Brandon said of his Bosnia experience.
The collection continues to grow through donations from fellow veterans and their families who prefer to see military items preserved and displayed rather than stored away.
"Just being ex-military, people would come and go, gift you this and gift you that. Otherwise it's in the wardrobe hidden."
The space serves as more than just a museum and is used as a gathering place for military reunions and social events. Brandon hosts five or six major functions each year.
"It's all about just reconnecting even for us that have been out for a while.”
Following the dawn parade on Anzac Day, Brandon hosts RSA members and other veterans for a barbecue lunch at his property.
The collection spans multiple military services, though he has limited air force items. He expects to add a full air force dress uniform soon which means he will need to buy another mannequin.
Among the artifacts are replica weapons, including airsoft guns, and various military equipment pieces such as a nose cone from a 500-pound bomb. All weapons in the collection are replicas or decommissioned items.
Brandon's property, which he purchased in 2012, features a house built around collected antique materials. The floors are made from matai timber salvaged from an old Auckland warehouse, and the windows are period pieces collected over 20 years by the previous owners.
The military museum represents an extension Brandon added to the original property, which sits alongside a pool and additional rooms he constructed after purchasing the home.
Vietnam veterans are planning a national reunion in Taupō this September, during which participants are expected to visit Brandon's collection.
"They'll all just be filtering through, having a look.”
The collection includes items from various military units and conflicts, with particular emphasis on New Zealand military history.
The space provides current military personnel with a familiar environment where they can socialise with veterans and learn about military history.
Brandon is still accepting donations although space constraints means he has limited room for larger pieces now.
The collection doubles as a preservation effort for New Zealand military history and a social hub for the military community in the Taupō region.
Military units occasionally use the space for reunions. The informal nature of the gatherings allows for natural interaction between serving personnel and veterans across different generations of military service.
