Gentry, William George (Sir), 1899-1991: Photograph albums

Date: [ca 1939-1945]

From: Gentry, William George (Sir), 1899-1991: Photograph albums

Reference: PAColl-10000-2

Description: Head and shoulders portrait of William Gentry (later Sir) taken circa 1939-1945 by an unidentified photographer. Relationship complexity - This print was originally a loose item in album PA1-q-1140 Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Silver gelatin print 13.8 x 8.5 cm

Date: 1940-1983

From: Gentry, William George (Sir), 1899-1991: Photograph albums

By: Green & Hahn (Firm); Wood, W J (Private), active 1945

Reference: PA1-q-1139

Description: Photograph album compiled by Sir William Gentry, chiefly relating to his military career (between 1940 and circa 1955), but also some family holiday snaps as well as two colour images from after his retirement. Some family snap shots are likely to have been taken by Gentry, but for most images the photographer is unidentified. - World War II images feature scenes from army life, mainly during the final campaign and after Allied victory in Europe. Locations featured are in Egypt (Maadi, Alamein) and Italy (Trieste, Venice, Lake Como, Lake Garda, Bolonga, Pisa, Miramere Castle). Events such as the New Zealand Infantry Brigade Ceremonial Parade (Fabriano, Italy, March 1945), Christmas Day Donkey Derby (1944), fishing in the Dead Sea on the 'SS New Zelandia', rugby match between divisions in Fabriano, and El Alamein memorial service (9 Nov 1945) are covered. There is a focus on General Bernard Freyberg, with whom Gentry worked closely during the campaigns in North Africa in 1941-1942. Also contains images of military convoys, meetings (including 1 March 1943), camps, and officers' meals. Miscellaneous images also show bridges and the wreckage of bridges (with Adige River, River Po). - A series of formal and informal group portraits relate to Gentry's time at the Imperial Defence College, England (1948). These include the official class photograph (wearing suits, see album for name listing), and another with subjects in military attire. Related images from this period show Larkhill (1948), a military group in an air hangar in Bristol, and a shot of A M Slessor greeting King George VI. Also contains an Aug 1963 group portrait taken at a reunion dinner of Imperial Defence College attendees in Shelly Bay, Wellington (see album for name listing). - Contains photographs from Asia and the Pacific following Gentry's promotion to Major General in 1952. Images of conflicts cover the Korean War (1951) and the First Indochina War (1953). The latter series show Gentry inspecting troops with General Henri Eugene Navarre and General Rene Cogny (Hanoi), with personnel in Quang Yen and at a concession post, and smoking with General Georges Masson at Nam Dinh. Also a number of Vietnamese landscapes (Reo River Delta, Baie D'Along, and Plain Des Jarres) and an aerial photograph of Haiphong. Further images from Laos (1953) depict discussions at a military camp and parade in Vientiane. Images of military conferences relating to the Pacific region are also contained in the album; Gentry is shown at SEATO (Bangkok), [COGS?] (1954), and as New Zealand's representative at the first ANZUS meeting with Lieutenant General S.F. Rowell and Admiral A.W. Radford (Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, 1952). Hawaian images also show Gentry inspecting a marine guard in Honolulu and tourist colour prints of a volcanic eruption. Also images of Gentry visiting the Fijian Armed Forces and inspecting troops with Queen Elizabeth in New Zealand. - Named figures in group portraits and at events include: Lieutenant-Colonel Albert (Bert) William O'Reilly, Major Denis Wood Porter, and Lieutenant-Colonel James (Jim) Leonard Williams getting awards from General Freyberg; Freyberg, Brigadier Leonard Whitmore Thornton, Brigadier S H Chump, Gentry, and Major C K Reed at El Alamein memorial ceremony (photographed by Private W J Wood); [John Henry?] Nankivell and Buckley at Guadalcanal; Winston Churchill with Gentry and others; Gentry, Molly Raynor (actress in 'On Approval'), Dan Sullivan and Sir Keith Park backstage after performance at the Garrison Theatre; Lieutenant-Colonel H [Ramada-?] with Gentry and the 1st Cavalry Regiment; and Gentry, Major General Graham Beresford (Ike) Parkinson, Keith Stewart, and Brigadier Raymond (Ray) Candish Queree in front of a map (photographed by Green and Hahn, Christchurch [ca 1952]). Others names include Jim Burrows, Major Jock I Thodey, Field Marshall Alexander, General Charles Walter Allfrey, Frame, and [Buffet?]. See name listing for [RCDC?] 1978 reunion dinner (Shelly Bay, Wellington). Contains formal military portrait of Gentry [1942] and two images at an army reunion in Pakuranga [198-?]. - Also contains a set of 82 family snap shots taken at a range of locations including London, England, during the 1948 Olympic Games. Family members featured are son Steven, daughter ? and wife Alexandra (known as Lalla). Images include the voyage to England, Olympic athletics events at Wembley Stadium (Empire Stadium) as well as a race on the streets [marathon?], a variety of buildings and landscapes, and a parade of the Royal Order of the Garter at Windsor Castle with notable persons including Princess Elizabeth, her husband Phillip, and King George VI and his queen consort Elizabeth. Also includes views of Capetown (Table Mountain) and Sydney (Harbour Bridge) from at sea, girl guides, camping, fishing, beach scenes, an unidentified wedding, the farewell of Lord and Lady Freyberg, and the Gentry family in Melbourne in 1949. - Ephemera includes notice dropped by the Royal Air Force behind German lines giving the phonetic English for 'I surrender', a newspaper clipping (with photograph) about Gentry being met off the troopship by his father Major F C Gentry, the programme for the 30 Corps Order of Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance after the capture of Tripoli, autographed menu from General Freyberg's farewell dinner at the Hotel Baglioni in Florence, two clippings relating to son Lieutenant Steven Gentry's supervision of the army's erection of a suspension bridge over the Waitotauru stream, and a Greek first day cover from 1981 commemorating the Battle of Crete. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Photograph album

Date: [ca 1939-1945]

From: Gentry, William George (Sir), 1899-1991: Photograph albums

By: Digby, Spencer Harry Gilbee, 1901-1995

Reference: PAColl-10000-1

Description: Head and shoulders studio portrait of Howard Kippenberger (later Sir) taken circa 1939-1945 by Spencer Digby of Wellington. Inscriptions: Recto - bottom left - embossed: Spencer Digby Wellington; Recto - bottom right - signed in ink: Kip Relationship complexity - This print was originally a loose item in album PA1-q-1139 Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Silver gelatin print 25 x 19.9 cm

Date: 1920

From: Gentry, William George (Sir), 1899-1991: Photograph albums

By: R B Holmes & Company

Reference: PAColl-10000-5

Description: Camel convoy in a ravine, probably in Pakistan, taken in 1920 by R B Holmes & Co. Inscriptions: Recto - bottom left - Holmes 308; Verso - stamped in ink: R B Holmes & Co Copyright Peshawar; Verso - in felt pen: [Sham ? Tangu ?] Relationship complexity - This print was originally a loose item in album PA1-q-1140 Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Silver gelatin print 24 x 29.2 cm

Date: 27 Jun 1952

From: Gentry, William George (Sir), 1899-1991: Photograph albums

By: Andrew, Earle William, 1909-1986

Reference: PAColl-10000-6

Description: Portrait of Lord and Lady Freyberg taken on the 27th of June 1952 by Earle Andrew. Relationship complexity - This print was originally a loose item in album PA1-q-1140 Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Silver gelatin print 33 x 23.3 cm

Date: Oct 1987

From: Gentry, William George (Sir), 1899-1991: Photograph albums

Reference: PAColl-10000-4

Description: Sir William Gentry with other war veterans and members of the army, October 1987. All wear medals. Location, occasion and photographer are unidentified. Inscriptions: Verso - -/10/87 Relationship complexity - This print was originally a loose item in album PA1-q-1140 Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Silver gelatin print 16.5 x 21.5 cm

Date: 1942-1989

From: Gentry, William George (Sir), 1899-1991: Photograph albums

Reference: PA1-q-1140

Description: Photograph album compiled by Sir William Gentry, chiefly taken following his retirement, but with a number relating to his military career. Unless specified the photographer is unidentified. Album features Gentry's 1982 visit to Crete and Greece, with images including the mausoleum at Alikianou, New Zealand and Crete Memorial at Galatos, Commonwealth Cemetery at Souda Bay, with a variety of memorial ceremonies and services taking place. Other images include scenes from Hania, Athens cityscape, and a meal at a taverna near Pircos. Selected postcards detail frescos. Images, mainly in Wellington, feature Gentry at a number of events and celebrations. Photographs of the opening of Freyberg House include one with Gentry cutting the ribbon and another with Governor General Sir Keith Holyoake, Geoffrey Palmer, and others. Group portraits at the Government House (with Governor General David and Lady Beattie) and New Zealand Defence Force lunches held for Paul Freyberg, Gentry with Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands at an unidentified war memorial, and a Duntroon Society dinner. A 1942 image taken in Baalbec, Syria, also features Duntroon graduates. Other images show the reunion of a group identified as 'Gentry 1962' and Gentry and Lieutenant General J A Mace with a cabinet displaying Bernard Freyberg's ceremonial garb. Also includes a series of group portraits from Gentry's 90th birthday luncheon on 20 Feb 1989 at Headquarters Army General Staff. Present are Lieutenant General Sir Leonard Thornton, Major General R H F Holloway, Major General D S McIver, Gentry, Major General R D P Hassett, Mace, and Brigadier B Meldrum. Album contains two letters from General Bernard Freyberg, one of congratulations on being made Chief of Staff, and another informing Gentry of his recommendation for Imperial Defence College (dated 11 March 1952 and 31 Jan 1946) as well as a copy of the recommendation (dated 20 Dec 1945). Also holds an article entitled 'A Special Occasion in Wellington' about Gentry's 90th birthday luncheon. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Photograph album

Date: Feb 1940-1944

From: Gentry, William George (Sir), 1899-1991: Photograph albums

Reference: PA1-o-1767

Description: Photograph album compiled by Sir William Gentry. Contents relates to his military service in World War II, 1940 to 1944. Photographers are unidentified. - Contains scenes from military life in Egypt (Feb 1940-1944), Greece (March 1941), Libya (Nov-Dec 1941, Jan-Feb 1943), and Syria (Mar-Jun 1942). These include the arrival of the first and third contingents in Egypt and the officers' mess, baths, accommodation, and club at Maadi Camp. Troops on route to Greece on board 'HMS York' and the arrival at Piraeus. Italian prisoners from Albania in Athens and military conference with Greek military. Gun emplacements on the Metaxas Line and at Olympus Pass, German parachutists landing, Souda Bay following an air attack, training at Bagush (Oct 1941). Images from Libya feature convoys, desert battles, and gun emplacement at Sidi Rezegh as German tanks approach (1 Dec 1941). Syrian images feature the camp at Mutruh, including 'Freyberg Street', and various images from Minqur Qaim, including Freyberg's car and caravan, and an unidentified figure writing order to withdraw to Alamein. Images from the Alamein Line (Jul-Sep 1942) include the visit of Winston Churchill, troop inspections, Gentry getting award from General Bernard Montgomery, divisional headquarters, military meetings, various vehicles, and lights from artillery fire at night. Further images track the pursuit of Axis forces to Libya; these images include military convoys in Bagush and Mersa Brega. Also the crossing the Wadi Tamet, troops defusing mines, and a camp in Tripoli. Final images are of war graves at El Alamein in 1944. - Album features many images of General Bernard Freyberg with whom Gentry worked closely during the campaigns in North Africa in 1941-1942. Other notable figures include Emir Abdullah I of Jordan, General Archibald Wavell, Captain Reginald Henry Portal, General Henry Maitland Wilson, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Blamey, Marshal Alexander Papagos, Brigadier Reginald Miles, General Claude Auchinleck, General Leslie Morshead, Winston Churchill, General Bernard Montgomery Those identified with first and last name are Sam Allen, William Stevens, Keith Lindsay Stewart, Geoffrey Cox, Maurice Hope, John Grey, Jan Peart, George Herbert Clifton, Julian Gascoigne, Oliver Leese, and 'Boomer' Watkins. Those identified by surname or given name only include Stewart, King, Padre, Doug, Miles, Allen, Crump, Tennent, Kenrick, Maxell, Inglis, Weir, and George. There are many other unidentified soldiers. - Images of tourist sites and local scenes include the Sphinx, donkeys, boats on the Nile River, scenes from Jaffa, Jerusalem in 1941 (Omar Mosque, Old City, Wailing Wall, Jaffa Gate) and a nearby village, Sweet Water Canal, the road to Helwan, local women carrying produce on the Maadi golf course, Mt Olympus, Athens and the Acropolis, Syrian Bedouin, camels, snow in Lebanon, ruins in Palmyra and Baalbek. Also a blossoming tree. - Newspaper clippings include an article detailing the New Zealand Forces withdrawal from Crete and service awards for campaigns in Greece, Crete, Libya, and Egypt; recipients of awards include Gentry (Order of the British Empire and Distinguished Service Order), Colonel George Herbert Clifton, Lieutenant-Colonel Stanley Fairgrieve Allen, and Captain Walter Wynne Mason. Contains clipping on Gentry succeeding the position of General Staff Officer and a poem by Philip Youngman-Carter titled 'Rain In the Desert'. General Freyberg's near capture in Libya and evasion of German aircraft fire in Crete is also covered, as is the welcome of troops back to Egypt by Prime Minister Peter Fraser. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Photograph album with embossed cover