Artillery - Papua New Guinea - Nissan Island

Date: 1943-1944

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: Barns-Graham, Allan Barclay, 1906-2006

Reference: PA1-q-303

Description: Photographs of New Zealand military personnel serving in the Pacific theatre during World War 2, 1943-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official purposes. Many individuals identified are listed above, but while many others are identified in group portraits they are not named above. Amongst the official NZ photographs there are a few from the official British war photographs. Signals personnel train at the New Zealand School of Signals in New Caledonia; New Zealanders construct roads on Vella Lavella; the Post office at Vella Lavella; the boot repair section; arrival of Xmas mail in New Caledonia. Works services engaged in construction of the NZ General Hospital No 4; hospital wards; wounded and sick soldiers with nursing staff; and convalescents; Xmas dinner at the Artillery Training Dept; New Year function at the No 4 General Hospital (Boguen Detachment); an ice cream plant amenity provided by the NZ National Patriotic Fund Board. Field maintenance camp in the Solomons. Various sporting activities at a number of sites in the Pacific including boxing championships, race meetings, aquatic sports carnival on Vella Lavella including a Xmas-New Year treasure hunt; native canoes; cricket; rugby games and team portraits; New Year sports meetings; road race; swimming carnival and basketball. Group portraits of officers and staff at the New Zealand Base Reception Depot; the Base Ordnance Dept.; Wharf operating Unit; WAAC personnel at the NZ Convalescent Depot; presentation of awards by H E Barrowclough. Embarkation of NZ troops for a commando raid on Green Islands (known as the Green Island Campaign and as the Nissan Campaign); troops boarding a destroyer by means of nets on the side; soldiers wounded in the raid; men camouflaged with blackened faces; LSTs (Tank Landing Ships); unloading heavy vehicles and equipment form LSTs; fresh water being brought ashore from an LST; LCI (Landing Craft for Infantry) amphibious ships. Parade of various NZ troops welcoming "Fighting French" volunteers home from North Africa; a NZ casualty clearing station at Guadalcanal. Activities of NZ troops at Nissan Island; capture of Japanese antitank guns, army radio sets and medical equipment; group portraits of various personnel on Nissan Island. Dr W W Hallright with assistants giving medical treatment to Nissan Island natives prior to their being evacuated to Guadalcanal, and also giving medical treatment for Pinipel natives. Scenes on Treasury Island include native islanders thatching a roof for a new church at Falamai built by NZ soldiers in memory of NZ and American soldiers, and presented to the nation to replace their church which had been destroyed by fire in the Treasury Islands campaignl; the cemetery at Falamai; a church service at the open air "St James' Theatre"; yacht races; a barbershop. On Nissan Island the No 2 Platoon of a Field Co. engineers constructing Halas Pier and Salipal Pier; a sawmill operated by Field Park Sawmill section; Field Ambulance laboratory; malarial control unit; group portraits of various sections; wood chopping competitions. In New Caledonia there are many scenes of the Kalavere Hospital and the 2nd NZ Convalescent Depot; the opening of the new Kiwi Club built by NZ work services personnel who built it from prefabricated sections made in NZ, with representatives from the NZ National Patriotic Fund Board attending; a dance at the club; dance band; and the Moindah Racing Club meeting. On Mono Island a naval control tower; and Saveke Bridge built by NZ engineers. On Stirling Island scenes of an antitank battery; army and navy personnel meet on Treasury Island; Anzac Day parade in Bourail Camp (New Caeldonia); scenes of members of the Fijian Defence Force with New Zealanders in Bouganville; a native church at the Allied Cemetery in Guadalcanal. Views of the Royal New Zealand Navy in the Pacific showing crew members; the boiler room; engine room; gun crew practice; and depth charge drill. Black and white reproductions of 5 paintings by 3rd NZ Division war artist Lt Allan Barns-Graham: The town of Bourail; a bridge designed and built by NZ engineers designed to carry the heaviest loads; a sketch of a fox-hole near Island Command on Vella Lavella; caped men returning from an engagement on Nissan Island; and the landing at Pokonian Plantation. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album with faded blue cover, darker blue corners and spine; 34.5 x 22.0 cm

Date: February 1944

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: WH-0536-F

Description: Soldiers of the 208 Light Anti Aircraft Battery grouped around their gun on Nissan Island. Photographed by an unknown photographer in February 1944. Inscriptions: Album page - left of image - NZEF IP. Activities of New Zealand troops on Nissan Island. B 2119. Light Ack Ack personnel photographed at Nissan. This gun and guncrew, while stationed at Treasury, were credited with a Jap plane. Official war photograph. This gun and guncrew were credited with the only Japanese plane shot down on Mono Island. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Film negative, 12.3 x 10 cm Transfers: A photographic print with digitised access copy is held at Library reference PAColl-5547-031..