IMAGE
World War II Official album. Internal, 1-437
- Date
- 1939-1945
- Reference
- PA1-q-291
- Description
Photographs of military activities and war work in New Zealand during World War 2, 1939-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official use.
Views show the manufacture of various military weapons, machinery and vehicles and the men and women involved in the work. They include munitions (manufacture of hand grenades); Bren gun carriers, airframes, building navy trawlers and mine sweepers in Auckland; airplane construction at Rongotai, at the De Havilland Aircraft Factory; making caterpillar tracks; making sten guns; and constructing army huts.
People from various military and civilian groups are shown working as fitters, flight riggers, flight mechanics; aircraft maintenance; welders, camouflage nets (made by Girl Guides). Activities include army exercises (p 106-110); river crossing exercises; preparation for a dawn departure of a New Zealand Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron; army training (p 76-97); and the New Zealand Air Training Corps for elementary instruction for youths aged 16 to 18 1/2. RNZAF training includes blind flying practice, Hawker Hind training planes, aircraft maintenance, flight mechanics, and Airspeed Oxford training planes.
Other activities include the planting and growing of linen flax, used in the manufacture of planes, tires, gun covers and fighting equipment; agricultural and horticural work, including using bullock teams for breaking in new ground; army manouvres (in part in Franklin area, and in winter conditions in the South Island near the Southern Alps); territorial manoeuvres; coastal defence; Home Guard training; a remedial physical education training camp for recruits suffering from foot troubles, painful backs etc.; the making of a new raft designed in NZ which could be constructed in a few minutes and was easily transported; training despatch riders on motor bikes in the snow.
Women, in different organisations including Women's National Service Corps, Women's Auxiliary Air Force and the Lady Galway Guild, were engaged in driving and maintaining military vehicles; driving for Red Cross vehicles; digging trenches; on parade; as signallers; in clerical work; hospital duties; cooking and other branches of essential war work.
Pages 63-75 show the arrival in New Zealand of the American forces; and pages 111-121 portray a visit to New Zealand of Australian and Netherlands personnel from the hospital ship Oranje when the NZ Government, as a mark of appreciation for their efforts in bringing Australian and New Zealand wounded troops, placed a special train at their disposal and took them to Chateau Tongariro for rest and relaxation.
Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s).
Physical Description: Album with dark blue cloth cover, black corners and spine; 34.5 x 22.0 cm
- Access restrictions
- No access restrictions
- Part of
- New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency / World War 1939-1945 albums
- Format
- 1 album(s) Album(s), Photographs, Album with dark blue cloth cover, black corners and spine; 34.5 x 22.0 cm
Click to request to view this item, access digital version (if available), and see more information.
Copyright
UnknownCrew of a 6-inch howitzer prepared for action - Photograph taken by an unknown photogra...
Date: Between 1939 and 1945
From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency
Reference: PA1-q-291-029-078
Description: Original caption reads: "Army manoeuvres in New Zealand: more than 3000 men of the Northern Field Force recently took part in exercises in the Franklin area, New Zealand. Crew of a 6-inch howitzer prepared for action". Photograph taken between 1939 and 1945 by an unknown photographer. Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Gelatin silver print 10.2 x 16 cm, mounted on album page
Army training in New Zealand
Date: 1939-1945
From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency
Reference: PA1-q-291-98-279
Description: A section moving along a West Coast beach while carrying out manoeuvres. Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
Royal New Zealand Air Force: Training in New Zealand
Date: 1930-1945
From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency
Reference: PA1-q-291-43-120
Description: "Bombing up" -- Fitting 250 lb. bombs for "line" bombing practice at a N.Z. Air Training School. [Shows three men in uniform, presumably ground crew, fitting a bomb to the underside of an aircraft.] Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
Army training in New Zealand
Date: 1939-1945
From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency
Reference: PA1-q-291-94-267
Description: Building weapon pits is part of the job of the Home Guard in N.Z., and these jobs are done in the weekends. Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
Women's war service in New Zealand
Date: 1939-1945
From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency
By: Auckland star (Newspaper)
Reference: PA1-q-291-49-137
Description: Girl Guides making camouflage nets Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
Army training in New Zealand
Date: 1939-1945
From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency
Reference: PA1-q-291-95-272
Description: The Home Guardmen are mainly men over the Army age limit. Here two Home Guardmen are doing a shoot --- one a young chap from a factory, the other an older man over the Army age limit. Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
Army training in New Zealand
Date: 1939-1945
From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency
Reference: PA1-q-291-96-273
Description: "Guards Vital Points" is the name of the Units whose duties it is to guard vital points against any form of attack. This soldier is on duty guarding the pipes which carry the water into an electric power generating station. Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
Women's war service in New Zealand
Date: 1939-1945
From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency
By: Auckland star (Newspaper)
Reference: PA1-q-291-57-160
Description: Women's National Service Corps digging trenches Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
Coastal defence in New Zealand
Date: 1939-1945
From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency
Reference: PA1-q-291-61-171
Description: [Coastal defence soldiers building a wooden structure] Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
New Zealand Remedial Training Camp for soldiers
Date: 1939-1945
From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency
Reference: PA1-q-291-413
Description: Remedial Training Camp where grades 2 and 3 men undergo special physical training with the object of improving their medical grading. Here the unfit become fit. Training on the bayonet assult course. Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).