A Portrait Exhibition by Denise Baynham Wednesday 16th July – Sunday 31st August 2025
About the Exhibition
In the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, between May 1957 and September 1958, a chapter of New Zealand history unfolded that would mark the lives of 551 naval personnel forever. Operation Grapple – We Were There brings together intimate portraits and personal stories of the veterans who served aboard HMNZS Pukaki and HMNZS Rotoiti during Britain’s nuclear weapons testing program.
Photographer Denise Baynham has created a powerful visual narrative that transforms these men from names on historical documents into the living, breathing people they are today. Captured in their own homes, these portraits reveal not just faces, but the places and lives these veterans have built in the decades since their service.
A Story That Needed Telling
“Something about Operation Grapple touched a chord within me,” reflects Denise Baynham. “As a photographer I see myself as a visual story teller. By viewing these portraits, these veterans are no longer just names on a document – these are men who experienced this chapter of New Zealand history.”
The exhibition honours the veterans who, as young men, witnessed some of the most powerful nuclear detonations in history. Their stories are told in their own words, preserving firsthand accounts of an extraordinary period in New Zealand’s military history.
One of the most challenging aspects of this project was finding the veterans – a poignant reminder of how the past can slip away unless we make an effort to seek it out and acknowledge it. The exhibition also pays tribute to those who passed away during the project’s development and those who were unaware of the opportunity to participate.
Operation Grapple: A Historical Context
Between May 1957 and September 1958, the British government tested nine thermonuclear weapons on Kiritimati for Operation Grapple. Christmas Island, now known as Kiritimati and part of the nation of Kiribati, became the site of Britain’s final nuclear weapons testing program.
The operation consisted of nine nuclear detonations, with the largest – Grapple Y – equivalent to 140 Hiroshima bombs. New Zealand sent two naval frigates to support the tests: HMNZS Pukaki and HMNZS Rotoiti, reflecting the close relationship between Britain and New Zealand.
The crews of these ships had extraordinary duties: witnessing the detonation of nuclear devices and collecting weather data as close as 37 kilometres to Ground Zero. Some 14,000 people were deployed to Christmas Island, working as scientists or labourers.
A Personal Journey of Discovery
This exhibition represents more than documentary photography – it’s a personal journey of connection and recognition. Through Denise’s lens, we see not just the veterans as they are now, but glimpses of the young sailors who stood on the decks of New Zealand ships, witnessing history in the making.
“Each portrait tells a story of service, resilience, and the passage of time. These men, who once faced the awesome power of nuclear weapons in the service of their country, now share their experiences – both the extraordinary moments they witnessed and the ongoing impacts they’ve carried – from the comfort of their own homes, surrounded by the life they’ve built in the decades since.”
Visit the Exhibition
When: Wednesday 16th July – Sunday 31st August 2025
Where: Central Stories 10am- 4pm daily
Price: Free although donations are appreciated.
Experience this remarkable collection of portraits and stories that preserve an important chapter of New Zealand’s naval history. Meet the men who were there, through the eyes of a photographer who understood that their stories needed to be told – and remembered.
Operation Grapple – We Were There is a testament to the importance of acknowledging our history before it slips away, and a tribute to the veterans who served their country in extraordinary circumstances.
