World War II Official album. Internal, 438-

Photographs of military activities and war work in New Zealand during World 2, 1939-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official use. This album contains photographs on pages 1-54 (Pages 55-149 are empty).

Activities include training in building of fascines and revetments for protecting trench walls; barbed wire "concertina"; excavation of command posts (part of a defensive trench system); the use of a 2" mortar; anti-tank rifle instruction; instruction in identifying enemy weapons including grenades and land mines and use of an electric mine detector.

The cookery wing in action in the open air; artillery school of instruction; signallers establishing communication & erecting a telegraph pole; use of a 25-pounder; bayonet practice; medical training including rescue of wounded, use of an improvised stretcher, improvised raft for a river crossing carrying the stretcher, transfer to an ambulance, and finally a view of an actual open-air operation.

The arrival of Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt, shown with New Zealand dignitaries (p 18).

Men and women who have returned on furlough parading through Wellington on their way to a luncheon given in their honour by the RSA (p 19-21, 38-40); the arrival of repatriated Prisoners of War being greeted by friends and family in Wellington (p 33-36)

A huge crowd celebrating the victory over the Italians at Liberty Corner, on the intersection of Hunter Street, Featherston Street and Lambton Quay (Friday 3rd September 1943)

Ceremonies at an undentified marae including Maori dance, haka, poi dances and speeches by military officers.

Pages 28-30 show the visit of a British Military Mission to the Forest & Jungle Warfare Wing of the Army School of Instruction, with demonstrations of jungle training.

Women are shown with views of the Women's Land Service (Land Army), and also as Post & Telegraph drivers collecting huge bags of mail from a ship.

Infantry students at the Army School, Trentham are shown in a river crossing exercise near Foxton, building rafts big enough to carry people, vehicles and weaponry.

Launching a fuel barge built at the Wellington Patent Company's shipyards at Evans Bay, where the ceremony was performed by Managing Director Mr Jamieson.

Pages 49-53 show photographs of Polish refugee children arriving and settling into the refugee camp at Pahiatua.

Pages 53 and 54 show the official opening of a new Model Kindergarten in Hospital Road, Newtown (Saturday 18th November, 1943), opened by the Prime Minister Peter Fraser. Also present were the Labour MP for Wellington South, Robert Mckeen and his wife Jessie Mckeen, Mrs J A Doctor (President of the Free Kindergarten Association), and Dr Clarence Beeby (Director of Education).

Arrangement: Images in album form single numerical sequence, 438-598

Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s).

Physical Description: Album with dark blue cloth cover, black corners and spine; 34.5 x 22.0 cm